The Faults in Our Lives
by tina titan
Summary: Growing up, no matter who you are, can be hard. But once you add the stress of being a superhero onto that, life becomes exceedingly harder. Follow the young titans as they learn what it means to grow up. From first kisses to charred memories to a dangerous prophecy that threatens the bond between a brother and sister. Monsters lurk in the shadows, and some in plain sight. -Tina t.
1. Chapter 1: Luke:

I have never had the best luck with girls. I tend to come on really strong in a funny way, then freeze up when they ask to know more. most would call me an open book. to some extent i am. i always explain why my hair is purple and shaved into a mohawk. i always tell little kids that turning doesn't hurt. i always tell people i don't like reading. there is so much that i never explain, that i thought i would never have to explain. until honey came to visit.

it's a warm spring day. i eat my cheerios, listening to my team talk about a mission (i was babysitting when they had gone). i close my eyes as a familiar, but still incredibly painful throbbing returns to my bones. not just the bones in my arms or in my legs. no every little bone flares with intense pain. i hear my friend jania say ,"uh-oh, luke is having a hard time understanding."

my friends/teammates laugh. i smile weakly, not letting them see how much that comment bothers me. the pain slowly fades. i ask through a mouthful of cereal," how long until they get here?"

"Ew! dude, swallow first, then questions," my twin sister, Lila, shoves my shoulder. i swallow and repeat the question,"they should be here in half an hour or so."

"i've never met honey or her sisters," Jania says," what are they like?"

"Well they have no emotional trauma from spending time with you," I smirk. she nods with approval at the insult.

"i don't know really," sophie freely admits from the couch," i haven't seen honey since the twins' twelfth birthday."

"And at the party, izzy and bella were three. not advanced like the gems and richie. just normal three year olds," Lila says, scooping oatmeal and berries into her mouth," honey had braces and glasses back then."

"she lost the glasses a little more than a year and a half ago," i say," she also got the braces off when she was 14. izzy's powers have evolved so she can paint a scene on a canvas and it works as a portal. bella is the same as ever a hardheaded, but silly six and a half year old," i pause to chew another spoonful of cereal," oh and bella cut her hair."

my team gaps at me, amazed at my infinite knowledge.

"how do you know that?" lila asks.

i shrug," honey and i ,unlike most of you bastards, have kept in touch. you know talking on the phone every once in a while."

My other girl friend (please note the space between the words that i like to call the friend zone), Sophie sits up. her nose is bright red, her skin pale, and the black hair messy and in desperate need of a wash. she and her younger sibling, the triplets Richie, Emerald, and Sapphire, caught some weird bug that at the moment only seems to affect tameranians. Sophie looks at me with a sort of off balance glare,"some of us have more time than others."

i roll my eyes making sure she sees. her face changes. her nose bunches up, her eyebrows come together, her mouth changes to the shape of a rubber band. she gets that pre-sneeze breathing. a short and shallow," Ah-Ah-AH"

"HIT THE DECK!" Jania yells. that isn't a joke. we dive to the floor as Sophie sneezes. there is a brief explosion as a starbolt goes god knows where with each sneeze.

"achoo!" Boom! "AChoo!" Boom! "ACHOO!" BOOM! we slowly peek our heads over the table. sophie slumps back miserably into the couch, murmuring swears. Jania takes her temperature while the rest of us-myself, Lila, Matt (Jania's big brother), and Parker (my best bud)- clean up. a call pops up on the window that also acts as a tv/computer main frame. the ID says HoneyBee. I smile at her nickname. she is a kid the titans east adopted when she was five. they didn't know who her parents were. i had once overheard my parents talking about her with my uncle Victor, er, Cyborg as you would know him. the titans east had gotten a call about a mysterious shrinking girl. they found her, a shivering, half naked five year old. the very first words they said to them, her young eyes wide with fear," Don't send me back there."

a bath, some new (if slightly too big) clothes, and a small chat later, they had a new member of the team. i answer the call with a short command. Her eyes immediately find me. not hard considering i have a purple mohawk.

"Hey, Luke," Her voice is warm. her curly black hair is pulled up in a messy bun," We're about two minutes out."

"Ok i'll set up the landing patterns," I Joke. She laughs. my team looks at each other confused. no one laughs at my jokes.

"I just wanted you all to know so the sharp shooter luke has told me about doesn't shoot us down."

"message received, captain Kirk."

she laughs again," see you soon."

i wipe off a counter. my pointed ears grow warm, as they always do when people stare at me. i look up. my friends stare at me with disbelief. i can feel my face turns green with embarrassment (don't ask).

"What?" I demand.

"Nothing, just not use to you not messing up or flirting uncontrollably with a girl." Jania says, without a hint of sarcasm or teasing in her voice. i throw my rag at her.

"Come on, they're here." we make our way to the roof. a small t-ship lands just as we arrive. the wind makes our clothes snap and hair fall into eyes. two doors open and a girl climbs from each. the girls stand three inches apart. they're about six, or maybe seven. one a little white girl with long auburn hair and obsidian eyes. the other a pretty black girl, her hair short and curly, and eyes that can't make up their mind on what color to be. they both have jeans and blouses on. with an identical squeal, they cry," Luke!"

i crouch so they can hug me. what can i say? the little kids love me. i smile, and teasingly ask," Wait which one of you is Izzy and which is Bella?"

they giggle. the black girl, in a chirpy voice, says," Remember, luke? i'm izzy and she's bella."

"Of course," i slap my forehead," well, you're both so pretty that it's hard to tell the difference."

"Luke, can you stop flirting with my little sisters?" I look up. something weird happens with my heart. i think it skips a beat. honey stands in front of the ship wearing a white dress that makes her coffee bean skin darker. her eyes are bright hazel, so bright they look like gold. her smile is crooked, the right side going higher than the left. eh, i've always had heart problems.

"Hey, you," I hug her. we're the same height, but she looks taller.

"Hey, missed yo-" an explosion from downstairs cuts her off," er, did we come during training?"

"No," Jania says with a grin as she shakes honey's hand," Our aliens are sick."

"Oh dear," another explosion rattles the foundation under my sneakers," Is it c-"

"Contagious?" Lila guesses," not unless you're half alien."

yes many conversations, unfortunately, went like this. we learn to anticipate what the others are going to do in training and in fights, and we kind of learned to finish each others' sentences. Parker, Matt, and i volunteer to get the girls' luggage while jania and lila take them to see our sick and dying (kidding about the last part.)

"Honey seems nice," Parker says. i nod, grabbing a random suitcase.

"Yeah she is. Oh! are you still up for monster movies at the theater tonight? i kind of invited everyone." I love monster movies are kind of a joke for me. it's not that i don't get scared, i have screamed like a ten year old girl seeing a spider before when Lila cursed my room after a fight. It's just with all the scary shit that happens in movies has most likely happened in my life. i live with four half aliens for god's sake!

"sorry, man," Matt says as we carry the suitcases to the guestrooms," Parker and i have been drafted to care of the gems, richie, and Sophie."

"What about Jania and Lila?"

"Patrol, six to sunrise." We always patrol the city at night. during the day, the police took care of it and called us when a supervillain tried to mess up the place. normally it's just three or four hour shifts, but with sophie out of commission and two people needed to stay behind with her and her brothers and sisters. that means a lot more all nighters and a lot more coffee for the other three.

"Damn," i swear under my breath," i guess it's just me, honey, izzy, and bella."

"No, it's just you and honey," Jania strides towards us," Izzy and Bella are coming with me and Lila to learn how to patrol and kick bad guy ass properly."

"ok," I shrug nonchalantly, like this happens every day. the guys and i drop the suitcases in the rooms and head back up to the living room. We just enter the room, When matt pushes parker and me to the ground. a starbolt fly past us.

"Jesus- SOPHIE, AIM," parker yells.

"Blarg!" Honey sits at sophie's feet. Sophie grumbles miserably to herself.

"What did she say?" I ask.

"'sorry'," Jania translates," it seems as if she has lost the ability to speak english.'

"Barkan zemda," Sophie snaps.

"damture quen pomdzces cre, zorpko." Jania shoots back.

"it's like real life sims," i mumble to parker.

"Gorb," he chuckles. we cautiously move toward the couch. Honey smiles at me.

"So, monster movie double feature?" She asks.

"Yeah, 'A Walk In the Park with A Werewolf' and 'Alien Invaders III- Don't Eat My Brain. i've seen 'A Walk In the Park with A Werewolf' and it was pretty good. It was an older movie, made in the late eighties, but pretty scary."

"oh good, you can put your arm around me during the scary parts," She teases. I hope no one sees me blush.

"Don't tempt him," Jania laughs," An arm around the shoulder could turn into a hand d-"

I lunge at her before she can finish that sentence. Honey laughs while i chase Jania, throwing a pillow at her head.

"Before anyone else accuses me of being a perv, I'm going to do some schoolwork," I stomp out of the room, my cheeks bright green. Public schooling never worked when it came to being a hero. Sophie, Lila and i were home school a majority of our lives, except for one school year. A lot happened that year. That's when we meet Matt, Jania, and Parker, when parker's parents kicked him out and my uncle vic adopted him, when the triplets were born, and the last school year we spent with our parents. After that we went back to home school, or rather tower school. Last year we all took the GED. All of us passed, i actually got the same score as jania, which was damn near perfect. now we all take online college courses. (Sorry, i know i get side tracked very easily.)

anyway, i do some assignments, clean my room, reread "The Fault In Our Stars", and generally just muck around for a few hours. Yes, i know i said at the beginning i didn't like to read, but that's a lie i tell people. My team, well, we tease each other mercilessly about everything, literally everything. They mostly tease me about my intelligence and (obviously) My luck with girls. I love to read. I love becoming new characters and going to new places that seem amazing and horrifying at the same time. My favorite books at the moment are "Paper Towns", "Looking For Alaska", and "The Fault in our Stars" all by John Green. around 4:30ish, there's a knock on my door.

"Luke?" Honey's voice drifts in," Can i Come in?"

"Yeah." She walks in the room, her cheeks flushed. I chuckle," Jania?"

"Yeah," She sits on my bed. not in a suggestive way (Like that will ever happen), she pulls her knees to her chest," She can be, uh, pretty vicious."

"Oh, she means well, she just doesn't know how to break the ice." I notice she still blushing," What?"

" they were teasing me about a crush i had when i was a little girl."

"It was me." I make my best i-am-completely-irresistible pose. she laughs.

"i forgot what it was like to have more than just your baby sisters to talk to," i notice she doesn't deny the crush thing. i sit up a little straighter.

'Yeah, it is weird only having a small group of people to talk to, but, hey," I grin at her," At least we can blow stuff up and the police won't get on our asses about it."

She chuckles at that. Her light golden eyes studied me for a moment," Your smile is crooked. the left side goes up a little more than the right."

"Oh, let me straighten it," i don't know why but it's easier to talk to her than my friends. i jokingly try to readjust my smile," nope. it wishes to remain as crooked as my heart."

She smiles. i want to tell her her smile is crooked too, but don't want to break the comfortable silence. she looks at the cover of the book, still clenched in my grasp, with a curious gleam in her eyes. i start explaining the book to her, diving into deeper meanings and theories that i've seen on the interweb. yes i am a major fanboy. my watch rings at 5:15.

"We need to go if we want to eat before hand." i stand and offer her my hand.

"Well i do declare," she exclaims in a southern belle," What a gentleman!"

"'Course, darling'," i reply with a smooth ascent. her hand is warm and soft, like you read about in books. i shout to my team that honey and i are leaving. Jania shouts a response that leaves me green in the face and Honey laughing by my side. outside, we stand on the edge of titan's island. the sun is just beginning to set. Parker had given me a hover board (think of it as a skateboard) for christmas a year or so back. i pull it out of my pocket, the size of a popsicle stick. i press a button and it grows to it's normal size. Honey looks at me like i'm insane.

"Hang on," I press the button again and it grows to to the size of a sled. i step on and once again offer her my hand.

"Is it safe?" she asks.

"I could go all aladdin and say yes, do you trust me, and then we sail off into the night singing about a new world while the old shitty, judgemental one remains," I tell her," But that's too cliche."

"We're super heroes,Luke," SHe says, stepping onto the board," Cliche is kind of our thing."

her arms wrap around my chest. the board flies fifty feet above the ocean. i hear her hum 'a whole new world' under her breath. it's a short flight. only five minutes to the beach. trouble is about a hundred feet from the shore, the board shutters. Honey's arm tighten, crushing my lungs a little,"Luke…"

"Get ready to jump," the board did this sometimes. i tighten my legs and aim the board upward at an 87 degree angle. we fly up a hundred and fifty feet when the board dies. honey screams as we fall. i release the feet locks and we shot upward before falling, i shout over the wind," Honey, level out. it will be ok."

her training kicks in. she levels out, like a sky diver. i will myself to change. soft feathers sprout from my skin, my bones become lighter. my lips harder into a beak and in less than ten seconds, i am a hawk. now i can also change the size of the bird, which in situations like this rocks. i grow until i'm the same size as honey. my talons grab her extended arms. i slow or rapid descent to a gentle landing.

we're about three feet above the ground when she tells me i can let go. she lands in a crouching iron-man-kind-of position. i change back. my clothes (Thankfully) fade into my skin when i change. Honey straightens her curls while i change back. it takes about five minutes. it's hard to change back to the person you once were. that's what my dad to me anyway. I find the hoverboard and we're on our way. i take her to my favorite pizza place. we have a policy on costumes and secret identities: there are none. well, that's not 100% true. we have costumes in case we get sent back in time and made up superhero names in case of emergencies. but normally we fight in what ever we were wearing. as a result many people run up to us. like tonight for example. at the restaurant, two little kids walk up to our table cautiously.

"Are you luke?" one of them, a little girl with red pigtails, (7 maybe) asks.

"Yes i am," I smile kindly at them. the smile comforts them. the other kid, a boy with the same red hair, hands me a crayon drawing," What's this?"

"You saved our mom's life," the boy says," we wanted to say thank you."

"Your welcome," the little girl hugs me and runs off. i look at the picture. they drew me and my team. i laugh at the angry expression on jania's face. i fold the picture and tuck it into my pocket. honey and i finish eating our hawaiian with extra ham pizza and head off to the theater. a few more people walk up to me and say thanks. twice people want to take a picture with me.

"Sorry," i say to honey when we finally reach our seats.

"for what?" she asks,"that? People do that to me in steel city all the time.

the movies are good. a walk in the park makes me laugh, because the theater scream when the werewolf breaks through the bushes. honey laughs with me. halfway through alien invaders, she places her hand on top of mine, platonically or romantically, i can't tell. i let it stay there, not moving a muscle in fear she will move if i do. so this is what hazel meant.

the movies end at 10:30. i text parker to get his ass out of bed and come pick us up. he texts back, among a slur of cusses, that he'll be there soon. we mill around outside. i keep rubbing my hand, seeing if the same nerves are the same that have always been there, or if they have been replaced by super nerves. honey leans against the theater wall, watching me pace.

"Yes," she says after ten minutes.

i stop pacing and look at her," yes what?"

her dark cheeks grow darker," yes you were my childhood crush."

i lean on the wall beside her, my body angled toward her," i captured you eye with my excessive awkwardness, didn't i?"

"No, i was shallow and thought you were cute," i can't help but think what jania would say at this point. most likely 'yeah what happened?'

"i can live with that," i chuckle," what about now? am i even more devilishly handsome?"

"in a certain light," we laugh. this is what i missed. just having someone to laugh with. i watch her tuck a curl behind her ear. it immediately falls out. i capture it between my long pale fingers, and expertly tuck it behind her ear making sure it stays. Hey when you live with five girls, you learn a few tricks! she turns so we now face each other. an invisible force draws us closer. i close my eyes…

our lips never meet because at that moment the T-car drives up with no one in the front seat. Bastard couldn't even ruin my momrn in person. Honey, very softly, says," we should go."

"Yeah," My voice is soft too," yeah we should."

the drive back is quiet. at the tower i hear explosions and angry alien curses. We pass my room and i have her wait for a second. i grab a sheet of paper and furiously began to write:

Dear Honey,

i hope this doesn't seem like really, really dorky (unless it's the sweet, he-means-well kind of dorky), but i really like you. people say that long distance relationships don't work and maybe that's because someone in the relationship finds their exact match. they find literally the perfect person. i for one find perfection boring. who cares if the perfect person lives two miles away. What i'm trying to get at is… would you like to go out? on a real date where we do typical date type stuff. where we walk arm in and and talk about everything, awkward at first then slowly becoming more confident with each other.

What do you say?

Your (maybe boy) friend

Luke

i grab 'The Fault in Our Stars', cram the letter into a random page, and walk back out. Honey gets off the phone, her face the epitome of upset.

"What?" i ask.

"That was the chief of police," she says," somehow brother Blood Jr. escaped from jail. they need me back tomorrow night at the very latest."

"So you're leaving?" my heart sinks.

"Tomorrow at noon," she looks at me sadly," I should call Jania."

"yeah."

"get the girls back so we can leave on time."

"Yeah."

"Luke… i'm sorry."

"Er, here," i hand her the book," so you can, uh, um."

"read it when i get a chance?"

"yeah."

"thanks."

i don't sleep that night. i just lay there, tossing and turning. i should have kissed her. i should have told her that stuff instead of writing it in a shitty letter. _Oh, who am i kidding?_ i think _what girl will ever let me kiss her._ a tiny voice softly whispers _she might. _yeah right. i'm not exactly the catch of the day. _she doesn't care._ Damn it! why did i have to get my dad's luck with girls!? _look at how happy your parents were though. they loved each other. they loved you and lila. maybe he did have some luck._ yeah, and i inherited like .02% of that.

i don't know if it's exhaustion or hysteria, but i finally fall asleep. my dreams are the same as ever. one or two that don't make sense and a nightmare. i'm running through the woods. someone's screaming. a child. it's too high pitched to tell if it's male or female. i crash through the trees as it stops. i turn and find myself in a graveyard. the grave in front of me has two names written on it. Garfield and Raven Logan. _NO!_ i shout. i trip and fall backwards into an open grave, just like in a christmas carol. i wake up, the covers tangled around my face. i yank them off, and look at the clock. 11:50.

"SHIT!" i jump up and pull on a pair of pants. i race up the stairs towards the roof. please be there. please, please, please, please, please. i crash through the open door, shouting her name. she's still there. she turns as i crash into her.

"Luke?" she gasps," are you-"

"fine, fine," i straighten up," Just wanted to say goodbye."

"Luke…"

"You'll keep in touch?" the question comes out more panicked than i wanted.

"Of course," she says," snail mail, email, phone calls, text, communicator talks, etc, etc, etc."

"ok," i smile," so you won't turn into one of those people who just randomly stops calling and writing?"

"Course not," she hugs me. when she pulls away, my skin is cold where her heart had been. she turns to climb into the ship.

"wait you forgot something!'

"no i didn't," she holds up the book i gave her last night.

"yes you did," i say," you forgot this."

I take her hand, pull her close, and ,taking a huge leap of faith, kiss her full on the lips.

one second. one second i am afraid she'll slap me. (Jania would get a kick out of that.) instead, surprising me and my team, who stand about five feet away, she kisses back. her hands rest on my chest. she tastes like peppermint. this is technically my first kiss (unless you count breath of life stuff). Jania clears her throat after a minute. i take one hand from honey's waist and raise my middle finger. i never get the girl, and i'll be damned if i stop when i finally do. i feel a sharp sting on the back of my head. i break away to glare at my sister.

"Honey has to go," she says sharply. I flip her off too. honey hugs me again. i bury my face in her curly black hair.

"Promise you'll keep in touch," i whisper in her ear.

"Promise," she whispers back. i watch her fly away, and stand there for a few more hours, a stupid grin plastered on my face. i try reading later in bed, but can't focus. Please, i think, don't let it be fake. please let her feel the same way. someone is watching out for me because two weeks late i get a letter:

Dear Luke,

I agree and that sounds absolutely lovely. and for the record, i think that perfection is what you find in the person that makes you feel perfect without trying.

Love, your girlfriend,

Honey

Maybe i do have some luck with love, but then again maybe not.

**because not three months late i would lose her, maybe, forever**


	2. Chapter 2: Luke

Have you ever told yourself a lie? Not a big lie, just something small. And it;s not there for any purpose other than to cover up something that is too painful to think about. Then, after a while you just start to believe the lie. that has happened to me and the consequences unlocked secret my sister and i swore never to talk about.

It's been two months since i last wrote. not much has changed, except that i shaved my mohawk. this nearly raised hell to high heaven. we don't like change here. (sorry, still get sidetracked as you see.)

i wake up, sleep making my eyes stick together. Sudden excitement rushes through me as i remember what today is. I jump and dance like an idiot, a happy idiot but an idiot none the less. Honey is coming today. well it's just a stop because she has to go to some conference in San Francisco. But she left a day early so she could hang out here. i had planned this embarrassingly romantic picnic and a playlist of songs she and i both like. For the last week and a half i had been obsessed with the weather. if it was cloudy i could handle that. A loud boom from the thunder abruptly damps my dancing mood.

"Are you kidding me?!" i half shout.

rain pitter patters against the window. Grumbling unhappily to myself, i pull on the same jeans i had worn last night. digging through my drawer in hope of a nice shirt, i hear a knock on the door.

"Come in," I say absentmindedly.

"Gah, SHIT! i am blinded by your pale scrawny chest!"

"Good morning, jania," I find a light blue button down. Turning, i pull the shirt on and fasten the half transparent white buttons. the blonde archer grins evilly at me,"You planned this, didn't you?"

"Luke, I am offended," she brings her hand to her chest," Why on earth would you assume i caused this most unfortunate weather?"

"Because you're you and you enjoy making our lives a living hell." She laughs.

"Fair enough," Jania leans against the door frame," Look, we all know that you were really excited for your date."

"I haven't seen my girlfriend in two months, Jani, Of course i was excited!"

she shaked her head," Still weird to hear you say 'my girlfriend'. Anyway, since all travel to the mainland is out of the question, we talked. Why don't you have your date here?"

"You all live here first off, and i know for a goddamn fact that none of you are above blackmail."

"Again, fair enough." She places a hand on my shoulder," Dude, we want you to be happy. believe it or not, we care about you. so have an indoor picnic with honey and then you two can come upstairs and we can all watch monster movies."

"tell me that parker will disable all the cameras wherever we end up eating and you have a deal."

She laughs and nods. i notice she has her arrows strapped to her back.

"training? I thought it was cancelled for today."

"It is.I have to set up flares so honey can land. the arrows are a precaution," she pulls the hood of her coat up, tucking the long gold braid inside," I will return."

"No worries," i smirk at her," if we hear a shriek and swearing, we'll know what happened."

She flips me off as i move past her. I hear her chuckle as she walks down the hall. another thing that has changed: my confidence. they act like i have become another person, but i know my team is happy that i'm (finally) Opening up. I walk into the living room, ducking as a little girl with wild red hair flies over me.

"Sorry, luke," She yelps. i smile, shaking my head. two more kids, a boy with messy black hair and another girl with red pigtails, both with the same bright blue eyes, run past me. i look at matt, who wearily follows after them.

"Long day?" i ask.

"Just beginning. i have to get them started on their exercises." he groans," What i wouldn't give for a nap."

"Patrol?"

"Last night. Two am to seven," he runs out of the room. on top of patrol, we also take turns watching the triplets. their 'exercises' include flying practice for emerald, strength for Richie, target for both of them, and stealth for Sapphire, as well as the normal self defense stuff we teach them. i pour a cup of coffee and crash on to the sofa next to lila.

"hey, La," I ruffle her chin length red and green hair. She glares at me with wild green eyes.

"I thought we retired La, Luke," When Lila, Sophie, and i were little she had a very whimsical way of talking that made it seem like she sang everything. i started calling her La, mostly because it irritated her.

"Oh, you know you love it," I gesture to the old leather bound book on the couch," What are you reading?"

"Just looking through an old spell book i found in mom and dad's room," i choke on my coffee.

"What were you doing in there?!" I gasp, my throat blistering. i do a quick sweep of the room. It's just us. Sophie must be showering and i have never seen parker out of the garage voluntarily before lunch. Collin had gone to make a phone call to someone in mexico- his grandmother i think.

"Luke," Lila grips my wrist. i flinch when our skin touches. a literal spark travels down my spine," we both know what's coming."

"Are you looking for an answer?"

"More like an escape." We sit in silence," Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Does it hurt? changing?"

"At first," i admit," Then as you get better at it, the pain stops."

She shows me a picture drawn in the book. i wince at the sight of the beast," I'm going to turn into that."

"Lila…"

"I'm serious. Mom and Dad made all sorts of notes-"

She slams the book shut when collin enters. he smiles at us," Hola, Lila and Lucas."

I've learned to cut the guy a bit of slack when it comes to my name. normally i would punch the first person to call me lucas. However, collin is learning english, plus Jania is crushing on him and would murder me if i hit him.

"Hey, man," I say with a lopsided grin," What's up?"

it takes him a minute to translate his response from spanish to english,"i am very well. my abuela, sorry, grandmother is not doing well."

"Sorry to hear that."

"yes, it is very sad news." Jania walks in. SHe's soaking wet, tiny drops of water hitting the carpet like bullets.

"SWAMP MONSTER!" i half yell. For the second time today, she flips me off.

"Ha ha, very funny." she marches over to the fridge and pulls out one of the emergency sandwiches we have on hand for her and Matt (over active metabolisms.)," Oh, and they're here."

i jump up. My voice is two and a half octaves higher than normal," Really?! Where?!"

"Excited much?" Lila laughs.

"She went to change. her clothes got soaked in the rain."

I run down the hall, three flights of stairs, two left turns and three right. For the second time,I crash into her. This time, I catch her.

"if you wanted to sweep me off my feet , there are other ways to do so," she laughs. I smile as I help her . Straighten up. She has on tan capris and a plain blue t-shirt. Her black hair is damp, curls flying everywhere. I suddenly feel over dressed.

"hi," so begins the short circulating of my brain,"er."

not, already ruining this. Honey leans forward, brushing her lips against mine. Maybe not. I kiss her back, placing my hands on her back. Her lips are as warm and soft as before. When we finally come up for air, she whispers," hi."

"ewwwwwwwwwwww!" Our heads snap to the right. Sapphy and em are there, quiet for a few seconds. The they're chanting at the top of their lungs," LUKE HAS A GIRLFRIEND!"

"get back here!" Em takes sapphy' s hand and flies away, both still chanting. I chase them. They squeal when I catch up, and cry with laughter as I tickle them half to death. I send them on their way, giggling like crazy. I text Parker to disable the cameras in the launch area, then head back to honey's room. She sits on the bed, reading through a stack of papers.

"hi again," I sit behind her," what are you reading?"

"just a few files that I need to be able to answer questions on for tomorrow. Why?" I wrap my arms around her.

"just wanted to know if you're still on for tonight."

"I don't know, this is pretty interesting," her sarcasm is smoother and less detectable than the kind I hear most days,"what would tonight include?"

"a hopelessly romantic picnic, music, and getting to spend time with your amazing boyfriend."

"hmmm I don't know if I'm sold..."

"how about I sweeten the pot," with that I turn her head, kissing her cheek, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips.

she smiles, breaking the kiss,"now I don't think I can wait."

"I have an idea," I take her hand, and pull her up," follow me."

I take her up the stairs, down hall's,i more stairs until we reach the roof access. It's too rainy to go outside, so we just sit on the steps. The next few hours fly by. We talk about books, music, war stories of raising the little kids, battles we've been in. I keep noticing these little things about her. Some of her hair is more waves than curly. When she talks the right side of her mouth goes up higher than the left. Her hands never stop moving, brushing hair out of her face, tapping on her legs, tugging the bottom of her t-shirt, intertwining with mine...

"I have to ask. What made you get rid of the Mohawk?"

"I don't know...I guess everyone just started expecting it. I first shaved my head into a Mohawk when I was like seven. Then everyone got use to it. I needed a change," she reached up and ruffles my half inch long hair. The purple actually looks good now. Much less like I'm trying to be a basses punk.

"it got to mainstream?"

"God you make me sound like a hipster."

"well, just know that if you get fake glasses and suspenders, and start saying things like 'you've probably never heard about it', I will dump your sorry ads."

"shoot, I guess I have to cancel my order," she punches my shoulder,"kidding, kidding."

"this is nice. Just talking."

"yeah, I mean, we talk everyday, but face to face just works better."

"plus neither of us has to run to patch up skinned knees or go beat up some moron who thought it was a good idea to mess with our cities."

"which is worse?"

"oh skinned knee, hands down. i don't know said moron therefore i have no sympathy for him/her. those are my baby sisters, and i don't like hearing them cry." my phone buzzes.

"sorry," i check the text. Ready when you are, lover boy. damn it, Jania.

"WHat time is it?"

"four forty five," tuck the phone into my pocket," what do you say to an early dinner?"

"i say let's go!" i take her hand again. the launch area is on the very bottom floor. it takes us fifteen minutes just to get down there. but my god is it worth it. lights are strung up around the room, making the water shine. a blanket has been layin in the middle of the room, the picnic i made the night before already spread out. some ham and cheese sandwiches for me, and peanut butter-syrup-banana sandwiches for her. a basket of blackberries plus chips and soda. Chasing cars by snow patrol plays from my Ipod dock. Honey looks completely shocked," you did this?"

"A good chunk of it," i admit," my team put up the lights… are you ok?"

she has tears shining in her eyes,"Yeah, it's just i've never had a guy do this for me."

I shrug," I've never had a girl to do this for."

we sit and eat. my stomach finally realizes that i haven't eaten all day. we still talk, more about life now. what we want to do when we get older, the bad guys we hope to face.

"ok," i say, cramming the last bite of my third sandwich into my mouth," if you weren't a hero, what would you be?"

"god, uhhhh… i guess a specialist. Like i specialize in mutations or abnormalities in cellular reproduction and how it causes some people to be different like us."

"So a superhero doctor/ scientist."

"basically," she nibbles on a blackberry," what about you?"

"Something with kids. not a teacher because i don't have that kind of patience," i think for a minute," i would open up a daycare/afterschool place. somewhere that everyone can go and learn basic self defense, get help with homework, make friends, blah, blah, blah."

"i can actually see you doing that," she kisses my cheek. we stare at the water, her head resting on my shoulder. quiet except for the end of an airborne toxic event song. imagine my complete embarrassment when 'part of your world' from the little mermaid starts playing.

"Oh, shit!" i scramble to my feet," Sorry, sorry, sorry! i was making a playlist for em and Sapphy and i was working on this-"

"Luke, i live with two seven year old girls. i have learned to love disney."

"i'm sorry," i groan, still embarrassed. she moves gracefully to my side.

"Luke, seriously, don't work about it." the song ends, 'beauty and the beast" starts," i love this song."

since i am embarrassed beyond reason at this point, i throw reason to the wind. taking honey's hands, i start dancing. like ballroom dancing. honey laughs and goes with it. for the next hour we dance, spinning and dipping each other. on occasion, one of us will sing (i say sing while in reality i screech) along, the other joining in.

(ok, i know it's been super mushy up until this point, but i swear it is going to get interesting soon.)

in the most delicate way i can, i tell her about jania's proposal with the movies. it feels really awkward mentioning one of the girls that i live with to my long distance girlfriend. i half expect her to get all haughty and ask why i'm bringing her up instead she asks what movie.

"no clue," i say, as we clean up the food," either something mentally scarring that requires the use of a nightlight, or something really lame."

"which is more likely?"

"Dunno. with my friends, it's a toss in the air." it takes us fifteen minutes to ascend the stairs and stride down the halls. the common room (aka our livingroom/ dining room/ kitchen) is the last floor before you get to the roof. my friends are sprawled out on the couch, watching a shitty superhero movie. Jania throws popcorn at matt, whose arm is around sophie's shoulders.

"Come on! flying out ranks superspeed every time!" she exclaims. Jania Notices us behind her. she makes over exaggerated kissing faces.

"Shut up, Jania." I shout at her," i, at least, have a girlfriend."

"never!" she throws popcorn at us," now sit. i swear to god if i watch this any longer i will shoot myself."

"is that a promise?" kernels catch in my hair. after settling on the couch and a popcorn refill, the movie starts. it's actually pretty scary. but the plot is so typical. stupid kids, a halloween dance, spooky town legend that turns out to be true, creepy abandoned house, blah, blah, blah. Matt keeps telling the main characters to shut up and get out. Lila covers her pointed ears when the scary music starts. Jania Continually reaches for a knife. Parker and collin slowly pale. Sophie Hides behind a pillow, looking up every once in a while. Honey and i laugh at their reactions. At one point, while my team is begging some secondary girl with braces and a black braid not to go to the basement, we egg her on.

By my count, two pillows, seven handfuls of popcorn, and three knives are thrown at us. the movie ends at eleven o'clock, about three and a half hours ago. Matt and lila bid us good night (they have first triplet watch tomorrow), and Lila kisses the top of my head. i fall to the ground, wailing that it burns and writhing in pain. Jania does the same when matt kisses the top of her head.

"Ok," she says when we're back on the couch," who was scared?"

"Me," Sophie admits.

"Sam," Parker is shaking.

"tambien"

She turns to me and honey," well?"

"it was scary, but the plot completely overused," i say.

"totally," Honey adds," reminded me of 'happy death day'."

"oh, come on. you weren't the least bit scared?"

i shrug," i have no shame. it was scary, but i've seen worse."

"Like what?" Sophie asks. A piercing scream answers her question.

"LILA!" I yell. i don't think i just act. i jump over the couch, running to the door. please be ok. we slam into each other. she's freaking out. her eyes are wide, her breathes short and rapid, her hands pushing hair out of her eyes for it to fall down again.

"They're gone," she's hysterical," The gems, Richie, izzy and bella. they're gone."

"Come on," i didn't see matt there. he help her stand, and when her legs refuse to hold her weight, picks her up. he sets her on the couch. Matt takes my sisters hands, in a big brotherly kind of way, very gently ask," Li, what happened?"

After several deep breaths, she tells us," i wanted to check on the girls, make sure they were ok. i looked and their beds were empty. i check and even did a scan of the building. they aren't here."

"Jania," a sickly sweet voice purrs. i look at her. no one else has noticed the repeating phrase," Jania, I've missed you."

"Jania?" Everyone looks at her. there's an emotion carved into the lines of her face, one i've never seen there. Fear. A shadow snakes through the patch of moonlight, like a tentacle. she backs away her face pale.

"No, stay back," Jania whimpers. she never whimpers," do-don't touch me."

then she screams. her back against a wall, one hand clawing at the plaster. green eyes opened wide with fear, pure fear. Matt is by her side in an instant. he forces her to look at him," Jania, it's ok! It's o-"

"Lian?" A soft voice says. Matt and i whip around. a little girl, with long gold hair braided back and wearing a cute dark green dress, looks around in confusion, calling," Lian? Lian, where are you?"

"No," Matt is now frozen," No, no, no."

the little girl's calls slowly turn into pleas and then into screams. cuts open on her wrists, blood racing down her hands, staining her dress. Matt yells and pleads for her to stop.

"Luke!" Sophie shouts," Get away from them!"

i am roughly pulled to one side. Collin, parker, sophie, Honey, Lila and i stand in a rough circle. SOphie hisses to lila," what's going on?"

"I don't know," A dark figure towers over sophie.

"Soph!" SHe stuns. A hand grabs her arm.

a deep, gruff voice growls," Can't you do anything right?!"

"Let go!" she strains against his grasp.

"You just don't listen. you are lazy, sloppy, irresponsible-"

"Shut up! Shut up, shut UP, SHUT UP!"

"Arrogant, pitiful, the runt of the litter," and just like that, Sophie is yelling for him to shut up and screaming along with MAtt and Jania.

"What? i do not understand," collin is lost. i blink because for a second i think i'm seeing two of him. no, there are two of him. He notices my wide eyes and turns. the second collin has venomous green eyes and pointed crooked teeth. they yell in spanish and are grappling.

Parker and i press closer to the girls. he murmurs," they're going crazy."

"PARKER!" a girl's voice screams," PARKER, HELP ME! PLEASE HELP ME! HELP ME, PARKER, PLEASE!"

"Mimi," he whispers. then he's running, yelling over and over," Mimi, i'm coming! don't worry, i'm coming!"

"PARKER!" i yell. he's gone. i look at the insanity around me. Jania is screaming, tears running down her face. Matt is beside the girl, telling her he'll protect her if she'll let him. Sophie yells and fights the man holding her. collin and his doppelganger are still fighting, blood streaming from his nose.

"You girl," a raspy voice growls. honey isn't beside me anymore. she's standing in front of the window, eyes wide.

"No," she says in disbelief," yo-you died."

"I ain't dead. if i was then it's 'cause you took my beautiful daughter," a tall, dark skinned, and clearly drunk woman is in front of honey, a belt clenched in her fist.

"I protected her like you never would," Honey shouts. the woman raises the belt. i move forward. too slow. there is a whistle, a loud pop, and honey screaming.

"ENOUGH!" i shout. Suddenly, i'm not there anymore. i'm not even sixteen anymore. i'm four years old, perched on a rock, watching my dad change back and forth into a bird.

"Your turn, Lucas," he says with a crooked smile. i close my eyes, wrinkle my little nose, and try to turn. I freeze half way, and start crying because the feathers in my arms hurt.

"Daddy," i sniffle," help me."

he kneels down and takes my hands. softly, he says," Lucas, don't force it. let it happen naturally."

i sniff and try again. my bones become smaller and lighter. my fingers sprout feathers and disappear. my lips harden and i click my beak together happily when the transformation is complete. changing back hurts, but goes much smoother. dake takes my hands, oddly pale compared to his green skin.

"Listen, Luke," i do listen because he never used nicknames for me," You and i have animals trapped inside us. we have to choose if we set them free or if we try to control them."

"Which do i choose,Daddy?"

he squeezes my hands," whichever makes the most sense for you."

i stare at his face a moment longer. it's been so long since i've seen him. Lila and i both got his eyes- the only sign that she and i are related. i got this crooked smile. Lila got his hair. apparently when he was younger, he had red hair. after an emergency blood transfusion from our aunt M'gann, his hair turned green. i want to tell him i love him. i love and miss him so much. but he fades away. Dad! No come back!

"Luke! Luke!" my cheek explodes with pain. my eyes spring open. i don't remember passing out. huh, i don't remember much after honey… Honey. She stares down at me, gold eyes full of worry.

"well, would you look at that," i murmur," An angel to take me to heaven."

"oh, barf," My eyes focus and Jania is on my left.

"May have spoken too soon," I sit up, groaning," What the hell happened?"

"You tell us." Jania's voice is low. i look around. everyone is shaken.

"why are you all looking at me like that? did Jania draw on my face again?"

"Luke," Lila speaks very gently," you caused the apparitions to appear."

"No," i look at them, this time in desperation," I don't have magic. i can't have magicked this or summoned anything."

Lila kneels beside me," Sometimes magic is released with suppressed emotions."

"I'm not suppressing anything," i argue. a fluttering in my chest tells me that's a lie. Jaina shrugs.

"Whatever. Let's just go," She drags the heel of her hand across her cheeks, which are dry. we start to drift when honey cries out in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Just let it go." sophie snaps. Honey gets a look that makes me pray to god it's never pointed at me. Her jaw is clenched, her eyes narrowed, eyebrows arched in anger. she turns and lifts the back of her shirt. i see the edge of her black sports bra (most female heroes wore them), but my eyes are drawn to the scars. thick and rippling down her spine, they must be years old. we stare in stunned silence. She speaks in a clear, determined tone.

"I was two years old when my birth mother beat me. three when she brought in the belt. i was six when i got out." she pulls the shirt down, turning to face us," What you all were seeing was shame. i'm ashamed it took so long for me to get out."

Parker clears his throat," She's right. i heard my little sister, mimi, screaming for me. my parents, my birth parents, kicked me out, blaming me for her death. i knew something was off with the hospital machines, but didn't say anything because Mother and Father hated my powers. Mimi and two boys died before the hospital figured it out." Deep breathe." Part of me thinks they're right."

i hug him, saying his parents are dipshits and dumbasses. we look to matt, who has always been the calm collected one, his head lowered in shame," our cousin, lian, was killed on my seventh, jania's sixth birthday. Jania was crushed. i noticed the scars on me arms years ago but i didn't do anything. that's my shame."

Jania:" When i was five, this monster attacked me. Matt heard me crying and screaming. he ran in and immediately tried to protect me. the monster wrapped his tentacle around his neck. i tried firing an arrow at it with my little bow. i cut matt instead. it's the only monster that has ever scared me so much that i hurt my brother."

Collin speaks in rapid Spanish. I understand el, la, and mal. Honey, who lived with mas y menos for eight years, translates," my posts. I am a doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I can keep him under control, but he is strong. He has escaped three times. Once, when he beat my younger sister, Rosa, to death. The second time, when he burned two houses, killing seven people. The third time, when he murdered my parents."

"dude..." we look at him in awe. Collin is one of the most passive guys you will ever meet. To think he has an evil side… that's pretty damn metal.

Sophie goes next," I am ashamed that I don't think I'm good enough. Not good enough to live up to the expectations my grandfather has, and the best are hasn't even tried to contact me in thirteen years."

Lila and I exchange a worried looked. Living up to standards… try living up to a prophecy. That's what I'm ashamed of. A prophecy that could mean the end of everything. Lila gives me a questioning look, like she wants to know if we should tell them. And some how, I find myself nodding.

Lila takes a deep breath," Luke and I are going to kill each other."

"what else is new?" Janis asks, no sarcasm in her voice.

"no, like a prophecy that told us we're going to kill each other."

"What prophecy?" Instantly Lila and I relax. We speak simultaneously, words falling quickly from our lips, freeing themselves from a prison.

son of demonic power

daughter of wild beast

the time is upon us, this is the hour

you will trust each other the least

claws slashing and a treacherous spell

an unkillable monster

one will fall

no longer brother and sister

the two will fight

lest one stop, and upon the ground their anger lie

one willing to make it right

both will live or one will die

a sharp pain where my heart is sends me crashing to the floor. Lila falls too. We can hear our team yelling and frantically rushing for first aid supplies. I stare at Lila, and she stares back. A quiet, almost purring voice whispers in my ear," the prophecy has been spoken. Thank you, Lucas. I have been awaken."

I reach for my sister's hand.

one will fall

no, I won't let her die. I know we fight, but she just sister. I love her. More than anything.

both shall live or one will die

no. Lila's eyes are asking me a question. I study them, trying to find the message hidden in the green irises. Most people don't notice but she has purple flecks around her pupils.

what the hell did we just do? That's what she's trying to ask me. What the hell did we just do? I don't know, la, I don't know...


	3. Chapter 3: Luke

I'll be the first to admit that heroes aren't perfect. we sacrifice the better parts of our childhood with training and becoming weapons of Justice, and then we have to learn to control whatever powers we have. Then you add on some disorders that we have. Matt has Asperger's, Jania has ADHD, Sophie and the triplets all have dyslexia, Parker suffers from mild depression, Lila and i both have anxiety problems, and collin…..well collin has his little friend. But despite all of that, we've done very well. Mind over matter, mind over matter. but eventually that stops working.

Let me explain what happened after Lila and I collapsed. Basically after twenty minutes of them yelling for us to get up, and several slaps from Jania, We were carried to the medical wing. We can't go to the hospital every time someone gets a broken rib, so we have a few hospital beds and a ton of medical equipment that we all can operate. They hook us up to heart monitors and all that jazz. We could hear everything that they were saying and feel everything they were doing, we just couldn't move. for a week, we just lay there, staring at each other and getting our nutrients from IVs. Jania, surprisingly, turns out to be a good nurse. While she tells us everything that's been going on, she turns us over so we can have 'alone time', she moves our arms and legs so they stay strong, and moving our heads side to side. she changes our IVs with the joke that superheroes should have special medicines.

Literally after a week of this, Lila and I stand up like nothing happened. It's weird though. Lately some weird shit has happened, for example my sister has started turning into a monster. wait back up.

So, it's been two weeks since 'The twins go bat shit crazy' as Sophie says. It's June and our air conditioner broke, and it's a hundred degrees outside. We're all kind of hanging out in the living room, except for Parker, who is trying to fix the air, and Jania, who took the kids to the mainland for a few hours. I'm on the couch, Sophie is trying to make homemade ice cream, Matt and collin are playing poker, using scraps of papers for money. We're all dying, sweat dripping down our faces. Lila on the other hand seems at ease. she meditates in front of the window, chanting quietly.

"this isn't my fault," Jania announces as she enters the room.

"damn it, jania, what did you do?" I groan from my seat.

"SOPHIE! Lookie!" Emerald And Sapphire burst in after Jania. They could be identical, Long red hair and tan skin. Sapphires eyes are bright blue, like her father's, and Emerald has alien green eyes, like Sophie and their mother. i mean like the whole eye is green, the whites and irises and pupils are varying shades of the color. In Sapphy arms i notice a small kitten. it has black and orange fur. Sophie gives up her task, and walks over to her little sisters.

"Hmmmm, where'd you find him?" She asks.

"Her," Jania corrects." Belated birthday gift, i guess."

"Jania, you should have-"

"It was at the front door, Sophie." Jania pulls a card from her back pocket. Sophie takes it and reads the card, her scowl growing darker," You ok, Soph?"

"Yeah," She runs a hand through her shoulder length black hair," Fine. It's just- we'll talk later."

"Her name is tiger!" Emerald snaps at Sapphy.

"No, it's fire."

"Tiger!"

"Fire!"

"Girls," Sophie kneels," You all need to agree on a name. Where's richie?"

"Behind you." Sophie jumps. Sapphy and Richie have this ability to be super quiet and sneak up on people.

"Oh, well what do you think the cat should be named?"

"What were mommy and daddy's hero names?" We all sense Sophie tense. She doesn't talk about her parents, like ever.

"Starfire and Nightwing." She says softly. Richie thinks for a minute, pursing his lips.

"Nightstar," He says firmly.

"I like it," Em and Sapphy say at the same time.

"Nightstar," Sophie repeats with a small smile," Mommy and daddy use to call me that."

"Really?!"

"Yeah," Sophie clears her throat," Richie, em, why don't you two help me with the ice cream. Saph, go show Lila Nightstar, ok, sweetie."

Sapphy run over to my sister, her red braids hitting her back. She tugs on lila's sleeve," Lila, don't you want to see our new kitty?"

I hear growling. Sapphire frowns," Lila- AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"SAPPHIRE!" We all jump up. Lila is looking at the little girl. her eyes are black, her teeth pointed. She barks, literally barks, and growls. Sapphire holds the kitten to her chest, her eyes wide with fear. She screams again as Lila reaches for her, fingernails like claws.

"Hey, stupid," A shoe hits the back of lila's head. She whips her head around, snarling at collin," Come and get me."

She moves like an animal. her hands hit the floor as she races toward him. i scramble to Sapphire, picking her up. she's shaking. Lila Lunges at collin. Ok what i said last time about him being like super passive, is proven false. He grabs her throat, slamming her against the wall. she snaps at him, claws flying everywhere. he loses his grip as she slashes his side. Lila takes the opportunity and sinks her teeth into his shoulder. He yells in pain and swears at her in spanish. Jania Has her bow drawn.

" Damn it, i can't get a clear shot," She takes the arrow and darts forward," Sorry, Collin."

She stabs the arrow into my sister's side. Electricity courses through her body and into collin's. Lila releases her grip on his shoulder and they both fall to the ground. Lila's fangs fade back into her normal teeth. Jania yells for Matt to bring the first aid kit.

"Sapphire!" Sophie Runs towards me, taking her sister from my arms," Are you ok?"

"Mmmmhmm," Sapphire buries her face in Sophie's shoulder," I'm fine."

"Luke?" Lila calls. I hurry to her side.

"Yeah, Lila?" Her eyes are opened wide with confusion.

"How did i get over here? and why does my mouth taste like blood?" She sits up, holding her head," Woah, head ru- Oh azarath! Collin! are you ok?"

Jania stitches up his shoulder, gagging every once in a while. tough as she acts, Jania can't stand blood. Collin groans," I will be fine."

"Are those bite marks?" She puts two and two together," What the hell happened?!"

"Lila, I think I think the Prophecy is activating," I run a hand through my hair. "'Daughter of wild beast' is the second line."

'But aren't you suppose to go first-" She bends over, gripping her stomach," Ah, shit, that hurts."

"Are you seriously going to blame this on period cramps." Jania snaps.

"No, it feels like there's something trying to get out." She looks up. Her pupils have become cat like slits. I help her up, telling my friends i'm going to take her to the Medical wing. I pull her into the hall and force her to look at me.

"Lila, I need you to promise me something right now."

"What?"

"You and i will always protect each other. Even if you're a monster and i have seven arms, we will protect each other. we are both going to get out of this alive. got it?"

"Got it," I help her to the Medical wing. I take some blood, like Jania taught me. I run it through the computer while Lila groans in pain. an screen pops up.

"That's weird. it looks like this has happened before." i type in my password to access the file. a crap ton of graphs and shit all explode before my eyes," I have no idea what this means."

"Not shocking." Jania and Parker help Collin into the room. His tan skin is dangerously pale.

"Is he ok?" Lila asks.

"Lost a fair amount of blood." Nurse Jania takes a bag of B+ blood from our blood bank (Don't ask). She quickly hooks him up to an IV and the blood enters his blood stream," Now what don't you understand, luke?"

I step away from the screen,"This. It looks like colors, letters, and numbers."

"So Honey didn't fall for your brains…" She scans the screen, taking in all the information and locking it away in that hellhole she calls a mind. Oh, forgot to mention, Jania has a Photographic memory. sounds cool but until you get into an argument with her, and she starts quoting books and shit.

"Well?"

"This has happened before...with your dad." Lila and i exchange a curious look," His DNA is a little wonky because of the blood transfusion from your aunt."

"What do you mean wonky?" Lila asks.

"Unstable might be a better word. About twenty five-ish years ago he got into some chemicals while fighting adonis. He started behaving differently, more aggressive from the looks of his heart rate and adrenaline levels. There is an incident report here about-" She stops, biting her lip. Shit, she only does that when she has to deliver bad news," About an attack on Raven."

"What happened," My voice is higher than normal. I was always partial to my dad, but that's my mom and if something bad happened to her, i want to know.

"It looks like your dad attacked her-"

"No!" Lila growls. I place a hand on her shoulder.

"Easy, girl. Jania, i have a really hard time believing that Dad would attack Mom."

"It looked like it, but the chemicals changed adonis too. he broke into the tower, meaning to attack your dad and wound up hurting your mother." She pauses looking at more charts. If i didn't know adonis had kicked the bucket five years back, i would be out there kicking his ass.

"so can you tell us exactly what's going to happen to me? and when?" Lila asks. Jania shakes her head.

"That's the problem. since you all are second generation, it weakens the strength of your powers, or makes the probability of getting them slimmer. Like with Matt and Luke. Both got their dad's powers, but Luke can only turn into birds and matt is slower than dad by 4.7 nanoseconds. I can't really guarantee anything."

"So i could attack you in thirty seconds or seven years. That's comforting to know."

"Easy," Jania checks the screen again," It looks like Cyborg found a way to stabilize his genes."

"So i won't turn."

"I think so. It's actually a very simple list. basic antidote stuff," Jania list a bunch of words that sound like sneezes," the only thing that i need is beast blood."

lila and i jokingly hold out our right arms. jania keeps reading. Shit, she bit her lip again.

"What?" i ask.

'Lila, i am so, so, so sorry, sweetheart," jania's being kind. Danger, Danger, Luke Logan," But that's not the blood i need."

"What do you need? she chuckles nervously," Blood of a wild boar?"

"No i need the blood of someone who has already changed." the news hits us like a ton of bricks.

"Please tell me we have some of our dad's blood frozen," Lila begs.

"No, and even if we did, i don't know if i would like the side effects. Again, you two, hell, all of us are second generation. we have half of our mother's DNA and Half of our Father's. I can't tell you how that would end up effecting your powers." Jania sighs," I'm sorry,Lila, but there's nothing i can do."

My sister is calm and collected...for about thirty seconds. Lila, in a word, is tiny. Five foot three and 95 pounds of pure muscle made her more like a gymnast than a hero. don't let that fool you though. i have seen her bench press 150 pounds before. She jumps up from the bed and kicks it, sending it across the room. she punches the wall and throws a syringe at Parker. He yelps and ducks as it impales the wall behind him. We all stare at Lila in shock.

"Great, so when i turn into god knows what!" she growls," Make sure i don't kill anyone."

with a swish of her skirt, she stomps out of the room. I start to go after her but jania grabs my upper arm.

"luke, don't"

"She's being completely unreasonable."

"She's scared. Sometimes when girls are scared, they act like bitches. it's a defense mechanism."

"What about the ones that aren't scared?"

"We call that personality."

"Why is she scared? i know what i'm going to turn into."

"She doesn't," Jania rubs her forehead," She's already aggressive. that's bad."

"How so?"

"When DL comes out, His ego is huge and he feeds off people's fear. I think when lila gets aggressive and agitated or even scared, her body releases adrenaline ,and with it comes the beast."

"I need to talk to her. Please, Jania!"

"I know you do," She releases my arm," I had to make sure you calmed down enough. family and friends are the best thing to have when you're at your lowest."

i notice that she's scratching her left wrist," Thanks, Jani."

I race down the stairs and ,after several turns, knock on my sister's door. No answer. i press the button to open the door. Ho-ly shit. her bookshelves have been destroyed, books and potion ingredients scattered on the floor. the bed is bare and claw marks on the mattress tell me that something happened. Stupidly, i enter the room, whispering," Lila? Delilah Arella, answer me."

A shadow falls over me. i whip around. my mind registers claws and fangs bared at me. i roll to the side as a claw flies toward me. i find the broke leg of Lila's desk. Armed, i swing it around with all my might. i hear a sickening crack and a howl of pain. i'm lifted and thrown against the far wall. For an instant , i am too dazed to think. the leg is still clenched in my grasp. i see the teeth coming at me. Holding the leg in front of me, i keep the monster at bay for a moment. at the angle i'm at i can see it's belly and one of my feet just under it. i kick upward with everything i have. there's a yelp. the monster backs away. i scramble to my feet. we face off. now that my life is not in immediate danger i fully take in the monster.

it's a wolf, but it isn't. it's at least sixteen inches taller and two feet longer. muscles strain under that glossy red and green coat. oh shit. hesitantly, i say," Lila?"

the monster growls. At this point i don't see how things can get much worse. And the universe just loves proving me wrong. the door opens, emerald stands there with her little hand held up to knock.

"Luke," She asks," What's- AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Emerald!" I swing the leg again, cracking it against my sister's snout. She flies backwards into the window. It cracks. Lila Looks at this with interest, giving me time to stand in front of them. Lila smashes the window and jumps out. i kneel down, dropping the desk leg and cupping Emerald's cheeks," Are you ok?"

"Yes," She's shaking worse than Sapphire had been earlier.

"Ok. I need you to find your sister. Go find Sophie, tell her that Lila changed. Can you do that, sweetie? Find Sophie, tell her Lila changed.' She nods. i know i shouldn't leave a traumatized four year old alone, but at this point i'm not thinking clearly. i kiss the top of her head. i then proceed to jump through the window. Falling for a second, i change into a hawk. Soaring over the ocean, i try to spot Lila. Damn it, i think, spotting her tracks on the beach. i can hear people screaming. i change infront of this random police officer. he instantly recognizes me.

"I'm looking for a wolf type thing. red and green fur, hostile, running in this direction."

"Over that way," he points to the meatpacking district. oh the irony. For those of you that don't know, Lila is a vegetarian. i am not," Say don't your sister-"

"I have to go. If my team comes, tell them where i am, ok?" I take off. there are hundreds of factories, two weeks of looking at least. it takes me about thirty seconds. Men and women come running out of their factory, screaming. I race in. Lila rips meat off a cow. Her ears perk up and she turns growling. i hold up my hands. Aggressive. How do you fight aggression?

"Lila, you need to calm down," I say firmly. Shit, flying cow! I roll out of the way," Ok not the best idea."

her fur stands on end, lips pulled back with a snarl. COme on, Luke, think! you've been with her since the womb! you should know what makes her happy and less "i-will-rip-your-goddamn-throat-out". WAIT!

"Lila," I say," I say hesitantly," If you're in there, this should help."

I take a deep breath, and begin to recite.

My sister dear

my darling brother

love is when we are near

and hate is when we are not together

we laugh, hug and play

scream, kick and fight

more different than the brightest day

or the blackest midnight

she stole my cars

he refused to play house

but i would give her the stars

and he wouldn't hurt a mouse

What we are bonded by is thicker than blood

as long as i am here, you are there

she liked books and i loved mud

please never disappear into thin air

no magic spell

or fight or pulling of hair

could stop me from helping you after you fell

or make me not care

This is a poem that my dad made for us when we were four and super close. there is one more verse. it looks like it's been working. She's back to human form and the fur fades into her pale skin. keeping a calm voice, i yank off my t-shirt and toss it to her. she slowly pulls it on. i really wish i could say everything went perfectly after that and we lived happily ever after.

But of course it didn't.

My team Bursts in. Jania fires an arrow at Lila.

"NO!" I yell. I hear fabric ripping. Lila is the beast again. I run in front of her, holding my arms up," Lila! lila, i'm right here. i'm r-"

her claws rake along my bare chest. one dips deeper. i think it punctured a lung or maybe my stomach. I stand there for a moment, blood racing down my torso. i meet Lila's eyes. the black stones turn back into her normal eyes. i fall backwards. four arms catch me. Parker and Matt ease me to the floor.

"Luke!" Lila's voice is thick and back to normal. She's by my side, human and buck ass naked. Matt and parker Politely look away. Jania, prepared as always, pulls an emergency blanket from her first aid kit. Lila clutches the Blanket to her body, tears racing down her cheeks," no, No, NO! LUKE! Please! i'm sorry! I didn't- I didn't mean to! Please, PLEASE!"

"Lila, We need to get him to a hospital."

"I'm sorry, Luke," Her tears burn my chest. i breathe slowly and shallowly. the last thing i hear before blacking out is Lila Screaming for me to be ok.

When i wake up, there is a tube down my throat. i start panicking because i can't breathe. A young woman in blue scrubs comes in. she tells me she's a doctor and i 'm in the hospital. She asks if i want to remove the breathing tube. I nod. i can't really describe what having the tube removed feels like without it sounding really super dirty. After the tube is no longer suffocating me, i can ask her my questions.

"Where am i?" My voice is incredibly hoarse.

"St. Michael's." It's the pediatric hospital on seventy fifth street.

"What happened?"

"Your friends said there was an accident. you had a punctured lung that we were able to repair. You have some new scars."

"Where's my sister?"  
"Over there?" the Doctor, Michel as a her name tag said, nods to the other side of the room. Lila is curled up, fast asleep on the couch," Hasn't left your side in two days."

"Can i talk to her?"

"Don't see why not." Dr. Michael wakes Lila. Lila flings her arms around me," I need to contact your team. though i doubt they've left the waiting room."

She leaves and i'm left with my sister.

"What happened to your eyes," I ask. they are cat-like with slits for pupils.

"Side effect of the injection, she tells me.

"It worked!" I'm excited until her face falls," not it didn't."

"it keeps it under control… you know how Jania said that being second generation diminishes DNA," I nod," In my case, it made my DNA more unstable. So i have to have the injection twice a week."

"Lila, I'm sorry," I take her hand.

"Not your fault. you helped me," she gives me a sad chuckle," I can't believe you still remember that poem. it must have been nine, ten years since we last said it to each other."

"Don't suppose you remember the last verse?"

"'my stupid brother'," She smiles.

"'my wimpy sister'."

"'there is never going to be another,'"

"'Like you said her to him-'"

"'And him to her,'" she pauses," I love you, stupid"

"I love you too, wimp." i notice the sad look on her face," What?"

"Do you think mom and dad knew about this? what was going to happen?"

"yes, i think they did. I know they wanted to help us and make sure we were ok and all. they thought they were going to be here."

"We're going to see them. We are going to see them," she repeats firmly," We are going to see them and tell them how much we love them."

"Shit," Jania says as she and our team enter the room," Back away now. i think they're having a mushy family moment. Bad timing"

"God damn it, Jania," Lila and i snap. they all gather around my bed. My hair is ruffled and i laugh at jokes about doctors. Matt tells me Jania almost scrubbed in and snapped at the ER doctors to get me some pain medication.

"Awww, you do care," I said jokingly.

"Screw you," Jania grins.

"I thought you said Family and friends are the best thing to have when you're at you lowest," I glance at Lila," Got my Family, where the hell are my friends?"

"You bastard, name three friends that you have outside of us," She holds up a hand," You can't say Izzy, bella, or honey."

Holding up my fingers, i count aloud," Screw you, bitch."

"Oh come on," Sophie tugs on Jania's braid," he's had a hard couple of days. Oh, Em drew this for you."

She hands me a crayon drawing. I laugh because i look super heroic with a desk leg in my crudely drawn hand. I grin," I Love it."

I told you heroes aren't perfect, and we aren't. we are human beings (Mostly) and that means we make mistakes. we lie, cheat, curse, and rag on each other, like any other family. we are a family. A family doesn't have to be blood related. When your life falls to hell, the people that stand by you, through hell and high water, with love and determination and dedication, they are your family. That is one of the few things that we do perfectly. Love and determination in helping each other and dedication to making each other better heroes. We are imperfectly perfect, and i love it.


	4. Chapter 4: Luke

You know how old people and parents always tell you that expression "you don't know what you have until it's gone"? yeah. they're right. sorry no long winded explanation on that but this is a pretty serious story.

It's been a week and a half since the beast attack. i have really cool scars on my chest that, thanks to my sister's magic, now look several months old. i turn around in the car to see her cheek resting against the window, fast asleep. i can tell she's having a pleasant dream. her face is relaxed and her shoulders at ease. since the attack, it's one of the few times she's been able to sleep.

"Dude, relax,"Parker says from the driver's seat. i turn back around,"Lila's gonna be ok."

'Can't blame me for worrying, can you?" I ask," How far are we?"

"Thirty minutes from steel city and forty from the tower," He gives me a goofy smile," Don't worry, you'll see honey soon enough."

I shove his shoulder. Parker is my best friend, which you wouldn't have guessed from what i've talked about so far. sometimes in big families, you tend to focus on certain people. Thankfully we won't have a big group this time. Parker, Lila, and i are traveling cross country to steel city, mainly because parker has this new device for tracing people in a crowd like what you see in Star trek: into darkness. (We copy movies a lot because, hell, we do the impossible everyday. Why not bring fantasy to life.) i tagged along to, what else, see my girl friend. Lila Just needed out of Jump city.

Jania, Matt, And Sophie stayed, obviously, to watch the triplets and protect the city. Before going, Jania gave me three shots for Lila. Emergencies only. They would put her in a comatose state. they remind me of epipens. one sits in my pocket right now, uncomfortably cold against my leg.

"Hey, you ok, man?" Parker asks.

"Yeah," i give him a crooked smile," Just gathering my thoughts."

"We're gonna have to switch to autopilot here in a bit. Steel city is gonna kill me," He taps the steering wheel in time with the music. Parker is a technopath, meaning he can control technology. Well, control is a tiny bit of an understatement. he is able to take apart a machine without touching it, change it's intended purpose while in use, and can download (his word, not mine) files into his brain. he's a walking computer, and that is bad for one reason. Parker has to be familiar with an area, or it causes him a lot of pain. the first time he visited the tower, he collapsed.

"Sorry, man," i say," You didn't have to come."

"Nah," He shrugs," I can't stay in Jump city forever."

"Who knows," I joke," We might find a bad guy to fight."

he laughs," that would be cool. Oh and not have Janai, Matt, and Sophie try to save our asses."

"Wha-" Lila begins to stir," What time is it?"

"Two thirty, Li," Parker tells her," WE're still a little way out if you want to go back to sleep."

"I'm ok," SHe runs her fingers through her thin hair, brushing out the tangles," What are you all talking about?"

"Not much," Just our independence from the other three," the car shakes with laughter. We love the others, but we never get our time to shine. so we rag on the others and each other for a while, sing/screech along with the music, and talk scenarios. the base of our friend tripod is scenarios or "which would you chose". We love spending time together. occasionally Lila or i will bring up stories of his dad, cyborg, from when we were little.

"UUUUU GGGGHHHH," He groans, leaning against the wheel. Steel city is properly named. very little greenery breaks through eh endless urban area. Lila looks at the city with a small look of shock. it's no wonder land, but it's home to our closest allies (obviously not distance wise, but trust wise.)

the titans east's tower is set up parallel to to a cliff with ocean access for garth, aka aqualad. while gareth, bumblebee, and mas y menos disappeared with our parents, Speedy, aka red arrow, aka Jania and Matt's uncle roy, drops in every once in a while to check up on honey, Izzy, and bella. The girls wait for us on the base entrance. Parker and i grab the suitcases. after saying hello to Izzy and Bella, I kiss honey hello.

"Hey, up for a little training?" She asks. After being trapped in a car for over four days (autopilot is a blessing on road trips), we nod eagerly," Then Let's suit up."

she shows us our rooms and tells us how to get to the gym. i change into my training suit. ok, this is a little embarrassing. So, the older generation didn't want to hear about missing shoes or lost pants, and they made these jumpsuits that zip up the front and stop at our knees. there is this chip in it that makes it grow and fit our bodies thanks to yearly drops of blood. thankfully they are black and actually look decent. except for when we're running, we go bare foot. i run down to the gym, which is identical to the one we have back home. Izzy spares with Bella, Honey watching like them like a sensi.

"No, bells," She says exhausted," BLock then kick."

"I'm trying," Bella glares at her sister," She keeps playing dirty."

"Villains aren't going to fight fair." Honey tells her," Back to starting position. go."

"hi," i kiss her cheek," Playing drill sergeant?"

she doesn't bat an eyelash as she says," who's playing? Izzy, Arms UP!"

Parker and lila arrive a minute later. we train for four hours. an hour of running/ swimming laps (the suits repel water extraordinarily well). an hour of strength, lifting two hundred and fifty pounds over my head while Lila spots. an hour and a half of gymnastics. Ok, guys doing gymnastics might sound really stupid or 'gay' , but when someone throw a dart or a razor disc at you, be thankful you can bend backwards.

the last half hour is for sparing. Lila retreats to a corner, meditating peacefully under orders from Jania. the rest of us form an awkward half circle around a mat. Parker and i are up first, We face off, his hands clenched and held up in front of his face. mine are by my sides, palms facing the floor. rule one of being a superhero-know your enemy and their weaknesses. parker is not a close range fighter, preferring to be the distraction. While he is a decent fighter, he puts too much force into his throws keeping his balance off by 15%. Honey yells go and we attack. Parker punches my Jaw. I kick his stomach, Grabbing his arm and twisting it behind him. he twists with it, punching my chest with his free hand. he does a backflip, effectively kicking me in the face. we go at it like this for a solid three minutes. Parker messes up when he tries to punch the side of my head. i turn, grabbing his arm. I judo flip him, Pressing my foot to his throat.

"Luke wins," Honey smirks, like she's shocked," Next Izzy and bella."

their sparing is more instructional. hoey circles them, saying things like," Bella, watch your feet. Izzy, block. Arms up, girls!"

Drill sergeant-y? Yes. annoying as hell? Yes. Valuable to know in a fight? Hell yes. Trust me, while training sucks, it's the difference between life and death. the fight between the girls is a tie (neither is really meant to win). Honey turns to me.

"Ready to go?" She asks. We step onto the mat. I know, or can accurately guess what you're thinking. Luke is going to beat up his girl friend?! that's horrible! or awwww he's going to let her win like a good boyfriend. rule number two of being a superhero- relations to others mean nothing if they are on the other side, or in training. Take matt for example. Dating Sophie and jania's his little sister, and between the two of them, he's had five broken ribs, two mild concussions, and been thrown into a wall. believe me when i say it doesn't matter who you are, yo step on that matt and you will go down.

"Good luck," I say, facing her.

"You,too," Honey replies. Parker yells for us to begin. I block her foot from kicking me in the balls. twisting around, i round house kick at her head. she ducks, grabbing my leg. I do this trick where i jump up, bringing my other leg over her head, pulling the other out of her grasp. this puts me on to her side. I grab her from behind, she slips from my arms. she tries leg sweeping me. I backhandspring out from her reach. we circle the mat, sweat dripping down our faces. She lunges, bringing her hand back for a punch. I catch it, thinking i've won. idiot. I didn't see that her feet were arched. My arm comes back as she flips over me. I fly backward, hitting the ground with a painful thud. Honey pins my hands over my head. Her eyes glow with victory. i hold myself back from kissing her.

"Honey wins," Parker chuckles," Let's keep things PG, you two."

I glance at the clock as i get up. Hey two and a half minutes ain't bad. we spare for twenty more minutes. by then we are all sweatier and more disgusting than the hours before. I wipe my forehead, moving the moisture around. Lila has drifted from her corner, watching the fights. In between Honey-me, Parka-me, and Parker- Honey are Izzy-bella. Over the next few years they'll start to spare with honey and go on patrol.

We finish with a quick Lila-Honey fight that's meant more for fun than for training. (Lila won, but it was close.) we head to the showers, the icy water feels like heaven on my burning skin. Changing back into my shorts and t-shirt. i head to the front entrance. Izzy and Bella watch as Lila teaches them to skip stones. Honey reads a thick novel with her feet in the water. I sit next to her.

"What'cha reading?" I ask.

"Something for class," She puts the book down," What's up?"

"Not much. Good job during training."

she snorts," You really know how to compliment a girl. you too."

"kicked my ass earlier," i chuckle.

"sweetie, you have a huge ego. you get over confident. Rule one." We laugh. she runs a hand through her curly hair," i'm glad you're here."

"Me, too."

"nice to have some help," SHe rests her head on my shoulder. i let what she said sink in. she has been alone. Izzy and bella were little, like fourish, when the disappearances. It's been nearly four years. i try to let that sit. she's been raising her sisters, protecting her city, training for eight hours everyday, patrolling, going to school, and overall growing up when she shouldn't have too. It's happened to all of us, growing up too fast, but we've been able to find times to still be teenagers. Being totally alone isn't true. Roy will stop in, but since his daughter's death, he's been traveling and doing more free lance heroing. I know two kids have stayed with her. Junonia (Jun-O-nee-AH) who was a sixteen year old that controlled the water. she was killed by one of the New brother blood's henchmen. Then michael, A ten year old that disappeared before we could talk to him, who read minds. Aside from them, it's basically been Honey, Izzy, and bella against the world.

"I can get patrol tonight," I offer.

"I'll be fine, but you can tag along," it's a little odd seeing her home. She has more confidence and i notice the proud way that she holds herself. this is her city, mess with it and get your ass kicked.

"Luke," Lila Smirks at us," COuld you be more stereotypical?"

I start to tell her off, when her body changes. her muscles tense, eyes opening wide. Lila starts spazzing, falling to the ground and shaking like she's having a seizure. I've seen her like this, so i can tell it's bad. pulling the injection from my pocket, i race to my sister's side. i stab her neck emptying the medicine into her bloodstream. her eyes roll back in her head.

"is she ok?" Honey kneels by her side, taking her pulse.

"Yeah," I run a hand through my hair," She'll be fine in a couple of hours. we need to talk to Parker."

i lift my sister up. After dropping her off in her room and honey telling the girls to go do homework, we hurry to the computer room. Parker looks up from the computer screen. his electric blue eyes have gone completely blue with tiny lines, like lightning bolts, racing through the center. he cracks a smile. with the blue and white striped eyes, he looks like the guy that sticks his fingers into light sockets. he turn back to the computer, pressing his fingers to the screen. numbers fly across the computer, making no sense to me or honey.

"One minute," His voice is staticy, as if he's talking with shitty cell reception. he pulls away from the screen, his eyes fading back to normal,"What's up?"

i toss him the empty syringe. he examines it," Shit happened. Lila's LOC radar went off."

"Lock radar?" Honey asks.

"Lords of Chaos, L-O-C. Lila has an internal radar for when powerful and evil magic enters a ten mile radius," Parker explains, turning to the computer," Most of the Lords have been captured, or killed, but there;s still running around. Klarion."

Just the sound of his name sends icy chills down my spine," Yeah, Parker can you track him?"

"Done and Done," He glances at honey," Your hardware's a little dated, but the program integrated fully."

"Dude, that's my girlfriend," I joke. Joking keeps the fear at bay.

"Found him," Parker says. honey and i bend to see the screen. his black hair is teased into devil's horns and his stupid cat, teekl, in his arms, Klarion the witch boy walks calmly down fifth avenue. i notice the edge of a robe to his left.

"Park, little to the left- other left, moron. there," the word tastes like lead. pure white skin and a dome shaped head, brain visible through glass, identifies Klarion's partner.

"Psymon." Parker looks like he's about to barf. i think i am. the last time we faced psymon, we ended up in a psych ward for two weeks. and to make things a little worse, our entire team, except the triplets who weren't born yet, were with us.

"Luke," honey places a hand on my cheek," you ok? you guys look like you're about to up-chuck."

"fine," I swallow hard," Psymon… Psymon is not my favorite bad guy."

"Didn't know you had a preference," the joke is more to break the tension," Can we get audio?"

"Oh, uh, not unless they talk walking past a camera with audio," he shakes his head," i can track them through cameras."

"What about when they go out of range of the cameras?" i ask. Parker and honey snort.

"You do realize how technologically based this town is?" honey laughs," We have cameras for our cameras."

"Awesome," I cross my arms," So are we going after them?"

Parker and honey answer at the same time.

"Yes." (her)

"No." (him)

"wait, what?" I look at parker. he rubs his forehead, which he does when he's thinking.

"dude, they suck and are total douche bags, but technically they haven't done anything wrong yet," he explains," we don't just kick the crap out of people. that's why we're the heroes."

"I'm not sitting around on my ass while they walk around this city," i tell him firmly," he's a god damn lord of chaos. Chaos is literally in his job description and Psymon is a psychopath."

"Luke… we all want to catch psymon," Parker says gently," but this isn't your call."

i turn to honey," he's right, as much as i hate to admit it. your city , your call."

she studies their pictures. i can see the cogs in her brain work. assessing their body, recalling stats and records from their files, debating the probability of them attacking. she nods.

"Let's go for it," She says," not attacking. i agree with parker there. technically there are no warrants for their arrest here. we'll shadow them from a few blocks and, if they do anything illegal or suspicious, we'll collar them."

"That would work if a, they didn't recognize us and b, if klarion couldn't detect illusions or other appearance charms," i notice parker gets what we call a "i-have-a-prototype-that-should-work" face.

"I have a prototype that should work!" from his backpack, he pulls out a bracelet and a pair of earrings," so you know that necklace Jani nicked from her parents, the one that changes you?"

"Yes"

"Well, i thought the necklace is a bit flashy, plus the magic is more detectable now that they know about it."

"Get on with it," Honey pokes him.

"Anyway. i designed this image projector that acts like a second skin. the projector will make you look like someone else, but unless you're a technopath or have an eye for technology, it's undetectable," He hands me the bracelet and honey the earrings," there is already a preprogrammed body and face."

i slip the bracelet on. it's simple metal band, painted black for effect i'm sure. i look at my fingers. they are still pale, long, and thin," Parker, i don't think it wor-"

"Oh, shit. Luke?" i look at honey. her dark skin is now the color of warm caramel. her curly black hair is straight, falling past her shoulders. her eyes are dark brown. the jeans and white blouse look odd on this new girl," you look... different."

"Huh?" I look in a dark computer screen. that's not me. I don't have curly blonde hair or pale blue eyes. my skin is olive tones and i am not that stocky," well hot damn. it actually worked.'

"you sound shocked," Parker tries to look offended, but i can see his eyes sparking, literally sparking, with joy," they have enough juice on them for eight to ten hours. don't get them wet and do not lose them."

"Got it. What are you going to do?"

he taps the computer screen,"I'll be tracing them. i'll send the coordinates to your watch. tap the little button on the side twice and i'll know you've lost them."

we nod. it takes us a while to find the girls. honey explains where she's going and they have to obey parker. after a bone crushing hug from each of them, she and i head out. after ten minutes of looking, we find them sipping tea in an all night cafe. Honey loops her arm through mine, launching into idle babble about some fake chick at a school neither of us attended. Heroes. we could be actors, but not enough ass kicking. Psymon and Klarion don't pay us any mind. we get a table two down from them. Honey and i have a conversation that we really only pay half attention to. i turn my hawk hearing on.

"Nothing,"i murmur under my breath.

"Damn it," Honey swears," We need probable cause or we're screwed."

"On the move," I whisper. we wait two minutes, then follow. Parker send me coordinates. (Sidenote: our watches are communicators, original design via Moi. then parker fixed them.)

"Luke," Honey whispers.

"Yeah?"

"What did Psymon do to you all?" her hand slips into mine. i sigh.

"He showed us our biggest fears. well, forced them back onto us about five billion time worse," I roll my shoulders, a nervous tick i developed when i mention the memory," we all broke in less than an hour."

"What did you see," She asks, then squeezes my fingers a moment later," er sorry. you don't have to answer that."

i get a beep from my watch before i can answer. it's not coordinates. it's a warning. suddenly i'm flying across the street, knocking down a wall

"Luke!" Honey shouts. i struggle to my feet a pile of rocks snake around my body. honey activates her powers. she shoots upward, growing until she's over fifteen feet. with a swipe of her hand, she hits two figures. a cat howls.

"You hit my cat!" Klarion screams.

"You hit my boyfriend!" She shouts back. Honey gasps, her hands going to her throat.

'No! Stop!" i scream. A disgustingly familiar feeling returns to my brain, like a tentacle trying to invade my mind. i grit my teeth, blocking it. My aunt put mental blocks, like walls, into our minds after the attack. It blocks all of our emotions and memories we may have that can be used against us. It leave knowledge and common things-ages, powers, names.

"well, well," psymon says," Lucas Logan? It has been a while. What-four and a half years?"

"you bastard!" I spit at him," what the hell do you want?"

his hand grips my throat. I stare him straight in the eye. I will not back down. He smiles, sending fear down my spine,"my dear boy, we're here for you. The spell must begin."

"what spell," I growl. He places a hand on my head.

"psymon says sleep," he commands. My eyes feel heavy. They slowly creep down.

"you're going to hell, and I'm going to send you there myself." My head slumps forward. Like that,I'm asleep.

"Luke?" Honey's terrified whisper in my ear startled me. My eyes fly open. She moves away as I bolt up.

"where are we? What happened? What's going on?" I look around. We're in two cells, one right beside the other, about six feet by six feet. My back is to the adjoined bars. I try to swallow, but a metallic collar wrapped tightly around my neck makes the task harder than it should be. Honey wears an identical one around hers.

I've seen these before, even worn them. They neutralize powers. Honey' s still wearing parker's silver studs, but her skin is back to its beautiful coffee bean color. Curls fly everywhere, her hazel eyes study me with terror.

"Luke, we got capture by psymon and klarion," my heart starts racing," they mentioned a spell."

"i don't know. Spells aren't my medium," I try to reach through the bars to take her hand. They're so close together to get more than few fingers through,"I'm sorry."

"why? It was my idea," she brushes a loose curl from her face," been in worse situations than this, I'm sure. None come to mind but I'm pretty sure I have."

"you say that," our heads snap to the right. Klarion the witch boy walks in. Teekl hisses at me. I hiss back, baring my teeth with extra sharp canines. (sometimes having a dad who can turn into animals friggin' rocks!)," but I know what's going to happen."

"what do you want, witch," I snarl. He gives me a creepy smile.

" to help you. You didn't think we wouldn't find out about the prophecy between you and your sister, did you? Why do you think we took your parents?" He crackles. My heart stops completely. He's seen my mom and dad. I don't remember standing or reaching through the door or grabbing him. My hand crumples his suit.

"where is my mother and father?" I growl. He gives me another grin.

"wouldn't you like to know," he smirks. I bare my teeth, making damn sure witch boy notices the fangs.

"klarion, don't poke the animals,"psymon enters," we have work to do."

"right," klarion fades through my fingers.

"What do you want," honey snaps. Psymon turns to her.

"My dear, Psymon says come out of that cage," Her face changes. it's more relaxed, more willing. Klarion unlocks her cell. we walks toward Psymon willing.

"NO!" i shout," HONEY, LISTEN TO ME! LISTEN TO ME! RUN! THINK OF THE GIRLS AND RUN! JUST RUN AWAY."

Klarion gives me an impatient wave of his hand. My voice stops. I'm still mouthing the words i want to say, but my voice is gone. He waves his hand again. A chair appears. Honey sits down without any resistance. Rocks, the ones from earlier, encase her wrists and feet. She's trapped, absolutely no way to defend herself. I watch the relaxed look replace with one of panic. i kick the bars of my cell. i try pulling the apart. Psymon forces her head back, showing the underside of her chin. Klarion pulls a slim silver knife from his belt. I realize what they're going to do a split second after honey does.

"LUKE!" She screams. i silently scream her name. Shaking the bars, tears streaming down my face. she screams as the blade cut her throat. i kick the lock in sheer desperation. She's not dead, i think desperately, she can't be dead. Klarion presses the flat side of the blade to the cut, blood gushes around it. I scream in silence for him to leave her alone. the knife turns gold. he pulls it away, wiping her throat. Honey stops gurgling and gasps for air. The cut doesn't exist anymore, and the collar and rocks fall to the ground.

"There we are," Psymon holds the blade up for me to see.

"Hey, Jackass," Honey rises from the chair," Get the F*** away from my boyfriend."

She tries to activate her powers. She looks at her arms like they're completely new. her eyes widen with panic. Klarion laughs.

"You stupid girl," Psymon back hands her," Your powers are ours. you are completely normal."

Honey does the natural thing. She lunges, performing a beautiful tackle-punch-to-the-glass-dome-head combo. Teekl pounces at her. She whirls around, kicking straight up. the Stupid cat howls with pain. Klarion throws a fireball at her. Honey flips out of the way, but the edge of her shirt catches fire. She screams as it burns her skin.

"You will die here," Psymon promises. the door he and klarion entered through splinters. parker kicks the door in, his eyes blue, multiple robots following him.

"Hey, douche bag," He says with that crazy smile," Next time you steal my inventions make sure there aren't tracking devices."

"Bah!" Klarion yells," This isn't fun anymore. Let's get out of here."

A portal opens under their feet, pulling them down. I scream," Cowards!"

Parker picks the lock. I give him a hug, a very manly slap on the back kind," You, sir, are late."

"When you can track a signal that was lost for twelve hours, then you can criticize me," He shoves my shoulder. I turn to Honey. Her shirt has been put out, leaving burned edges a third of the way up. the burns are second degree, not severe enough to need a visit to the ER. I pull her into my arms as she starts to cry.

Late reaction? yes, but think of it like this. Our powers are hands down the most important thing we have. Some develope over the years or they're something you're born with. either way they are a huge part of us. Losing them is like losing an arm or a leg. I know because a punishment when i was a kid was no powers one week, via a spell my mom found. You feel hollow once they're gone.

i explain everything to parker in the car. He swears like a sailor in… is that latin? I hear several opinions on where Klarion can stick that knife. I keep staring at honey. She cries silently, tears sliding down her cheeks in slow motion. She's leaning forward as i wrap a bandage around her waist. I want to wrap it so tightly it holds her together on the inside. I feel horrible, even though there is nothing i can do. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow, er, today if it's really been twelve hours. when i leave, she'll be alone again. the city will continue to look to her. She's all broken inside, but no one will ever notice.

The day is spent explaining to Izzy, bella, and Lila what happened. izzy and Bella latch to their big sister, looking at her with the same look they always gave her. A look of complete and total Love and admiration. we all skip training. Lila prepares a brew for Honey's burns. the tower is completely silent.

That silence is deafening.

The next morning, after a sleepless night, i look at her. Izzy and bella are being given last minute instruction from Lila and Parker. They'll have to step up to heroes now. Honey crosses her arms.

"I'm sorry, Luke," She says. She just told me she need space and that it was probably a better idea if we saw other people.

"It's fine," i cradle her cheek," I want to to be happy."

But i want to be the reason why. that selfish thought echos in my mind. She smiles weakly. I order my self to memorize it. I'll remember it because even if it is uneven or too toothy or if it isn't even that pretty, it will always be the most beautiful thing in the world. Simply because it's hers.

"You'll be ok," I tell her.

"Yeah, i'll get over it eventually and maybe really soon," She squeezes her eyes shut," But that doesn't make it hurt any less."

"I didn't say get over it, i said you'll be ok." I kiss her one final time. she wraps her arms around my neck. When she pulls away, i can feel my heart lurch and lean towards her. I keep my eyes closed, reminding myself that's the last time i will ever kiss her.

"I want to be left alone." She whispers.

"You shouldn't be alone."

"i don't want to be alone," SHe motions to her sisters," I'm never alone, I want to be left alone."

I sigh," Ok, call me or someone when you need something. Crying, screaming, a stupid meaningless one night-"

She laughs and tells me she loves me. we'll not those words exactly. she doesn't say 'I love you' like a normal person. She laughs, shaking her head a little. She gives me the smallest smile known to mankind and says " You're such an idiot."

i smile just a bit, knowing how lucky i was to have her.

"I'll call in a few days," Honey promises. i kiss her cheek.

"i'll answer," i promise.

"Bells, Iz, Time for them to go," Honey turns away from me. bella and izzy race to their sister, giving me a fast hug good bye.

'You be good," i warn them," or i'll come back and tickle you to death."

Lila, Parker, and i pile into the car, me in back. driving away, i notice my pocket is heavier than before. the knife that Klario used to take honey's powers sits inside. The scratches on the metal look accidental, but they move, forming words. Lost love, Lost one, Lost time, now.

this wasn't accidental, he told us as much. i didn't get this knife by accident. whatever drove them to honey has to do with our prophecy. i feel a stirring in my stomach.

It's meant for me a soft voice purrs and meant for your sister's pretty neck.

Lila laughs at a joke that i didn't hear. she's happy despite everything going on. I get a vision. He body lying in a pool of blood, gasping for air. i stand over her, looking down with joy and victory. The knife in my hand has blood dripping down the sharp edges. she's going to die. i'm going to drag that blade across her throat, and watch as she chokes on her blood and lack of breath. Lila's eyes meet mine in the mirror. lovely, full of life, hope, and love. love for me. And like the spineless coward i am, i turn away.


	5. Chapter 5: Luke

I don't care what anyone says, the only way to get what you want is to instill fear into those around you. Fear does wonderful things to the body. No, get out of my head. I am right, Lucas, there is no denying it. What is more powerful than fear? What about love? Hope? Happiness? i hear that's poison to you and your kind. Cruel laughter echoes in my head, making me press my hand against my ears so tightly it hurts. You cannot 'poison' me, you idiot. eventually hope, love, and happiness runs out.

"Luke," Sophie's voice floats through the door. i open my eyes, which hurt after having been squeezing them for so long,"Luke, I'm coming in."

My door slides open. Sophie balances a tray in one hand and has a basket of clothes under her other arm. her volcanic hair is pulled into one of those messy ponytails she's taken to wearing. with her loose purple t-shirt and black yoga pants, she looks like a soccer mom. her pure green eyes(all the way through, really hard to explain) flick to me with a look of worry. i'm normally a very neat person. messes make it impossible for me to focus. then my anxiety kicks in and i get headaches, and it frigging sucks. I've been too busy trying not to freak out and turn DL on everyone that i haven't noticed the growing pile of clothes and stacks of trays in my room. How long have i been in here?

"Hey, Sweetie," Sophie places the tray on my bed," Though i would bring you some lunch and talk to you. you haven't talked to anyone in a while."

"Thanks," I take a look at the tray. Roast beef sandwich, chicken noodle soup, and an apple. i devour it. Yes, i know that i can turn into chickens and that i am technically am eating myself. Don't care. I am not a vegetarian like Sophie or a vegan like Lila. I watch as Sophie folds a couple of shirts," How long have i-"

"Less than a week," she answers," we thought you were just getting over her, but last night Jania was checking on you and…"

"And what?" I brave myself for the worst. Sophie moves the basket, sitting next to me.

"And when she opened the door we heard you screaming. just over and over 'I won't help you'," Sophie studies my face," Is everything ok?"

I consider lying to her, saying i'm fine, which i would do with anyone else. but i can't with sophie. i love her. wait, shit, let me rephrase that, i love her like my big sister, which she practically is. (ok, i'll explain the ages here. you can skip it, but it might help later. Matt is the oldest, then parker is a month older than jania, collin is half a month younger than jania, Sophie is the third youngest of the team, and lila and i were never sure who was born first, but we're younger than soph by three months. Obviously the triplets are they youngest but they technically aren't 'part of' the team just yet.) She was my best friend growing up and honestly kept me and Lila sane half the time. That came from the Grayson-wayne charm.

I hang my head,"Not great. HE's coming, like, soon."

"Luke, this isn't the first time, or even like last time,' she says gently.

"How can you say that?" Tears blur my vision," I tortured Sapphy."

"DL did that."

"Demon Luke and normal luke are still Luke," I exclaim, tears rolling down my cheeks,"no mercy. that's my motto. Villains deserve no mercy, but Sapphy did! She was one, Sophie! i broke the mind of a one year old!"

"And you were the one that called m'gann. You admitted that you made a mistake and you needed help."

"That's not what you said last time," I'm sobbing now. Not very manly, i know, but Demon luke scared the shit out of me.

'Luke," Sophie says. i refuse to look at her," Like? Luke. ERGH! LUCAS GARFIELD LOGAN, YOU LOOK AT ME RIGHT NOW!"

I look at her. She never snaps like that. Compared to everyone else, she is one of the least temperamental people you will ever meet. i wipe my nose," I am so, so, so, so, so sorry, Sophie."

"I know that, you idiot," She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath through her nose," I was angry. it had only been a few months since the raids and we were all really scared. I said somethings that i shouldn't have and i'm sorry. I hadn't been used to the idea of being a sister, let alone a mom. we were scared, and fear does horrible things to the body and mind."

"I'm so-" SHe cuts me off with a wave of her hand.

"Enough with the apologies. we took baths together when we were little, luke. i think we're even." i actually laugh at that. (true story: She, lila, and i had a handful of pictures we keep under lock and key, unable to find the heart to destroy them, of bath time. We're heroes, but none of us are above blackmail.)" Come on. We need your help with some chores."

I stand, my legs shaking from lack of use. She hands me the folded clothes and takes all the trays from my room, balancing them on one hand. She;s half alien and has super strength so i don't argue. in the living room, Jania is showing the triplets how to write. they technically know, but their dyslexia makes it really had for them to remember differences between letters like b-p or w-m, and words tend to move around or change when they read them. That would be a cn of being half alien.

"Hi, Luke," Sapphire gives me a smile so warm i'm surprised i don't catch fire. she's beautiful for a three year old (I know i said four like two chapters ago, but stress and panic mixed those numbers up.) her long red hair is plaited into two braids. she wears blue overalls and a white t-shirt. her eyes are the same icy blue as her brother and father's. i smile back. oh, lookie, lukey. it's sapphire grayson. haven't seen her in a while. i'm ignoring you. don't ignore me much longer. just waiting for the right opportunity.

"Luke! Look what Sapphy and i can do." Emerald takes her sister's hands. they could be identical, but emeralds eyes are the same as Sophie and their mother's. Her hair is curly and the same length as her sister's but always wore it down. she had a blue dress on and white tights. ( she always wore tights). Flying up to the ceiling, she spins around a few times then throws sapphire.

"NO!" I yell, fear trapped in my throat. Sapphire, pushes off the wall, Landing safely in Sophie's free arm. Shit. I feel the basket fall from my grasp. my body starts convulsing. it takes two seconds for everyone to figure out what's going on. Jania has her bow, and arrow aimed at my heart.

"Everyone out now!" She barks. Plates and dishes break as Sophie drops them. Taking richie into her other arm, sophie and Emerald literally fly from the room. Jania walks slowly toward me," Luke, calm down."

"I can;t," my voice already sounds softer, like a pur," he's too strong."

"Be stronger," I can sense her tightening her grip on the bow," i don't want to shoot you."

"Afraid more blood will be on your hands." that isn't me. I swear that wasn't me. i would never say that, but i felt the words leave my lips. i watch her expression harder. my mouth curls into a cruel smile," It was that easy?! you are afraid of the blood on your hands. How many do you think deserved it? or better, how many didn't?"

Jania presses a knife to my throat," i will kill you. If it means protecting the ones i love, i will kill you."

i can feel myself being kicked out of my body. i'm standing less than three feet away. my body turns, four blood red eyes meeting Jania's.

"Let's see what's in that pretty little head," He places a hand on Jania head. SHe freezes. i can see her chest moving up and down, her eyes widening, but she's stuck in her worst fear. whatever it is, it completely paralyzes her. Demon Luke chuckles. Matt and Parker, bless them but they are idiots, race into the room. Matt flashes (runs at light speed) at DL.

"Get the hell away from my sister," echos through the room. DL doesn't even glance at Matt. he sticks his right foot out. Matt has a tendency to veer right. He trips over the outstretched limb. DL grabs his neck. with more strength than i have, He holds matt above the ground.

"Oh ho," Dl giggles like a kid at christmas," See that this fear runs in the family. So much blood, mathew. so much."

He throws matt into a wall, where he begins shouting," DON'T HURT HER! TAKE ME! NO! NO! SOPHIE! JANIA! DON'T HURT THEM!"

Parker slaps his hand to a computer, blue escapes his irises, spreading to the rest of his eyes. electronics come apart, parts pelting DL. the demon growls with annoyance. i try to move, my feet feel like they're glued to the floor. DL doesn't touch parker, but i can see the joy return to his eyes."

"Drowning? Bad experiences at the beach-no! OH! Your parents tried to- well i thought i was evil," Parker shakes a little, but continues to fire bits at DL. OW! sorry toaster hit my head," Enough of this."

Dl waves his hand. instantly all the machines stop flying along with both mine and parker's breathing. Since when can he do that? DL stares parker down. I watch as my best friend starts to gasp. No, no, NO!

DL moves to the door. unwillingly, i follow him. Colin walks down the hall absorbed in his book (most rooms are soundproof) he looks at me utterly confused.

"Lucas? what is wrong with your face?" he's never seen DL and doesn't know what danger he's in.

"Oh, Eric," Collin tenses," WHy can't you destroy this puny mortal and take over. from what i've heard you're a blast at parties."

"Lucas," Collin takes a step back," I do not like this you need help.;'

DL Cackles. I hate his laugh, it's still my laugh, but worse. so, so much worse," i don't need help. this" insert tada gesture," is what i was destined to become."

"Son of demonic power," Collin whispers," Hijo de puta."

"Have some fun,' DL flicks his wrist," on me."

Collin slams into the window. he looks stunned. i watch in metaphysical horror as her starts beating himself. punches break his nose and nails leaves deep cuts in his skin. the scariest part? he screams in two voices, like two toddlers fighting over a toy. DL moves away from Collin, humming quietly under his breath.

Lila, my sweet, brave sister, races down the hall. her teeth are bared and i can see they're pointed. she's struggling to hold her halfway transformation. Lila growls," Release them.'

"Our fight is coming, dog," DL growls back," But my fight today is an, what would lucas say, the appetizer. you, i know. you're afraid of losing control."

"Leave her alone!" a tiny voice grunts. Richard grayson, shaking in his jeans and polo, stomps his foot. the concrete cracks under his heel. he stomps it again. Dl doesn't move, but lila hugs the wall. one more powerful stomp and the entire hall floor collapses. Richie jumps back, landing on solid floor. Lila moves quickly , hugging the wall and stepping on a path less than two inches wide.

Dl walks slowly toward the toddler, his feet suspended in the air," I know you are a little young to remember this, but i am an unstoppable demon. and i can tell you're afraid. i can smell your fear and know exactly what it is. hmmmmmmm. i smell pennies, old pennies, blood. it's very young blood. i smell sweat. Aha."

"Richie!" Lila screams," RUN!"

Poor richie is frozen. his wide blue eyes are wider as he looks down at his small hands. black hair falls into his eyes, but he doesn't see it. God, let this be over soon. Demon luke turns to Lila. she gasps. No. Lila's too strong to be overtaken by this ass douche. She has to be. . Please let her be.

Lila falls to the floor below, curled among the rubble. i try to scream her name. no one can hear me except the frigging demon. he chuckles, walking on," This is the best part. watching you, Lucas, watch as i torture your friends- wait what is that scent?"

he sniffs around like a bloodhound," earth, no stone. panic. sulfur, MAR'I!"

Sophie stands at the end of the hall. she sees her baby brother. i can see the anger rise in her face, slowly turning red. she throws a starbolt at DL. he easily deflects it. the bolt of energy explodes less than a centimeter over her brother's head.

"not better at aim," he sneers," your fear will be much worse."

He claps his hands together once. the plaster breaks off the walls and the floor and ceiling race together. Sophie is caught in the middle. forming a sphere, DL traps her. i can hear her banging the sides. my gut tells me this isn't just her normal fear of tight places. she's twice trapped-once in the real world and again in her head. Emerald screams a few halls down. DL disappears in a flash of smoke. Emerald sits in her room. she whips around.

She's smart. Squeezing her eyes shut, Emerald puts up no fight. Just like Jania she is frozen by her fear. i feel my stomach drop. falling, i think?

i have to find sapphire i think in sheer desperation. suddenly i'm in a tight spot, literally. Sapphire crawls through the air ducts, one of the smaller ones. she stops, closing her eyes and listening. her breathing echos off the metallic walls. i think i hear a second set, much faster, more panicked. ho-ly shit that's mine. Sapphire turns, with some difficulty, heading towards lila's room. she drops in. quickly, she pulls a sharpie from her front pouch. she draws what we call a "keep your demon shit away from me" protection spell on the door, window and both walls.

Sapphire doesn't stop there. she pulls one of Lila's heavy leather bound spell books from the bottom shelf. i'm fairly impressed that she can carry the damn thing. most of my memories have some version of lila bent over a book she pulled to the floor. sapphire is less than half the age lila was and even though she's half alien, she inherited none of her mother's powers. she quickly skims the pages. i can almost hear her thinking dyslexia, don't screw me now.

she leaps to the second cabinets, grabbing seemingly random jars and vials. she empties them into lila's silver bowl. her fingers tremble as she pulls matches from her pocket (note to self: check her pockets when this is all over.) it takes her a few tries but she finally lights the magic firewood, i shit you not that is what it is actually called. the mixture begins to smoke and bubble. she looks around, a cold calculating look on her face.

"Luke," she whispers," i need you to tell or show me where you are. there is only enough for one shot."

i remember that i found her by thinking of her. i think of the silver pot. AH! sorry, just not use to traveling via thinking. I balance over the bowl. the smoke moves around my body. Sapphire's eyes brighten. taking a small ladle, she throws the mixture onto me. despite the fact it was boiling a few seconds ago, the liquid is cold. she gasps. (a lot of gasping going on today, huh?)

"Luke!' no smile this time, but i can see her small shoulders giveaway with relief," I can see you."

"Sapphy," i imagine being by her side (headrush). she tries to hug me, but my body dissolves under her touch," i don't think-What was that, saph?"

"Simple 'now you see me' spell. it's one of the spells that anyone can do," Right! Lila was showing all of us a few simple spells- parlor tricks really- for future use," Luke, how do i win?"

"you don't," the answer flies from my lips faster than i would care to admit,"i'm sorry, sapphire, but you can't win against DL. you should remember that from last time."

"i don't."

"Of course you do. all of you remember everything, not like Jania, but you have remarkable memories."

"No i don't," her breathing starts to speed up.

'Sapphire, stop ly-"

"I'm NOT!" she shouts," I don't remember anything! i don't remember the first year of my life! Any memories of anything in that year are gone."

she starts to cry," I want my mommy and daddy. i don't remember them, but i need them."

"Oh, sapphy," i try to touch her arm. nothing," Why didn't you all talk to us?"

"Sophie never talks about them. no one talks about the," snot and tears run down her face," i'm scared. I want my mommy and daddy!"

"I know," I feel different. stronger almost, more solid," Sapphire-"

"Sapphire," DL's voice purrs outside the door," I'm coming to hurt you. I'm going to get you."

"Luke," She whispers,"What do you do when you're afraid?"

"i-i," the sharpie begins to fade," I try to remember a time when i was happy or felt safe. or i make a moment up."

"Sapphire," The word makes the hair on our necks stand up,: I know you're in there. i can smell you."

"Lu-luke?"

"Yes?"

"What were my mom and dad like?" The question sounds like she's been holding it on her tongue for a long time. i try to remember aunt Kor'i and Uncle Dick.

"Your mother was extraordinarily kind. she called sophie bumgorf, which is like sweetheart. You dad was stern, but he loved you and your siblings so much," i say all this in two breaths," Don't be afraid."

"I am," She clenches her fists," but that doesn't mean i'm going to lose."

the sharpie is gone. DL enters. Seeing yourself outside of a mirror is really weird. My hair is a inch and a half long, curling just over my ears. I don't have eyebrows, the second set of demon eyes have replaced them. DL smiles delightedly at Sapphire. Her fists are still clenched, her jaw set. As much as she looks like her mom, i've only seen that look on my uncle Dick's face.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble, young lady.'

"Good."

"What are you afraid of? He frowns," You've told someone. or told them some part of it."

"I am scared...but not of you,' she says through gritted teeth.

"That's a lie."

"I don't lie," she snaps," you want to find out what i'm afraid of? hit me with your best shot."

"with pleasure," he holds his hand out, like he's going to give her a high five. i move so i'm in front of her. a blast of black and red magic passes through me and hits Sapphire. My vision goes black. i stand in the middle of an empty room. there are eight bubbles around me. they have scenes playing inside like televisions.

The first has jania. She watches as another version of herself shoots people. an arrow buries itself into matt's skull. i see a lovely woman with shoulder length gold hair and shining silver eyes fall with an arrow in her throat. A man with bright red hair and green eyes dies as a third arrow pierces his heart. Jania is screaming, Her arms and legs chained. her face is bloody and her hair has been hacked off at different lengths. tears roll down her face, cutting paths in the dirt.

the next is matt. he's strapped to a chair, screaming. no noise comes from the bubbles, but i can see from the way he strains against the restraints and how red his face is, that he's been screaming for a long time. A figure, with distinguishable features, throws a body to the floor. another falls on top of that, blonde hair mixes with black. blood pours from the numerous wounds. two green eyes are dead, two are dangling from sockets. i think i'm going to be sick.

I quickly turn to the third. i actually lunge forward. Parker struggles against a hand that holds him under water. he can't be more than six years old. his head breaks the surface as a tall, stern looking man with thinning black hair pulls him out of the water. i reach out to touch it. i lurch back as the man screams," BE NORMAL, GODDAMN IT!" before forcing him back under. i swear to god if i ever meet that guy…

Next is richie. his clothes are bloody, but it isn't his blood. two bodies lay at his feet. one has a crater in their head, and the other's neck is broken. no noise, no screaming. he just looks at his dead sisters. i look to the next one, which doesn't seem bad. lila is changing over and over into the beast and back to herself. At first i don't think much of it, but as i watch, the fear and pain on her face becomes worse until she is sobbing as she changes. i-i can't.

sophie's shows her trapped in a cave. no matter how hard she pushes on the walls they don't budge. i watch as the space begins to shrink. she kicks the sides screaming.

Emerald is falling. her hair moves around her face and straight up like fire. her arms and legs claw at the air, trying to grab something. she just… falls. never ending. never hitting the ground. Falling for forever.

i hear swearing and yell;s of pain from behind me. Collin and the other one (What did DL call him? oh right) eric are wrestling. collin is bleeding like crazy, his black eyes landing everywhere but on me. It takes me a minute to realize why he's not in a bubble. we have a similar fear. Letting a more evil, more powerful part of ourselves loose. i want to help, but i can't. i'm not saying that i can't because 'he needs to be a man and face his fears' or any of that shit. i can't move. instead the eighth bubble moves to sit in my line of sight.

Like with Parker's, i lunge forward. my finger touch the icy surface. the scene expands until i watch it playing around me like a memory. Sapphire struggles in the arms of two bulky men. they're faceless and look unimportant. her hair flies around as she screams and sobs at a family walking away. Oh. My. Shit. That's my Aunt Kor'i and uncle dick. They each carry Emerald and Richie, and Sophie by their side. they look like a normal family, one without a care in the world. it helps if you ignore the screaming girl.

"MOMMY! DADDY!" She screams," HELP ME! COME BACK!"

Aunt kor'i turns around," Richard do you know who that is?"

"No idea," Uncle dick responds with a calm shrug," Girls?"

"No clue, dad," Sophie shrugs. Em shakes her head.

"I don't," Richie chirps.

"DON'T FORGET ME! PLEASE COME BACK!" hair sticks to her cheeks and lips, glued there by tears and spit. she keeps fighting, watching as her family abandons her," DON'T FORGET ME!"

Sapphire...how could anyone forget a little girl like her? I might sound biased, but i've had a hand in raising her and let me tell you. she's one of the kindest, most loyal, intelligent girl you will meet. better than anyone on the justice league or on my team. when we go to the park, she makes it point to include kids that no one seems to want to play with. i love her like my baby sister and the fact she's scared of being forgotten… it f***ing breaks my heart!

I said she's intelligent, right? Good because in the midst of her screaming and tears, she stops. tears still fall from her eyes, but they slow. she gets her thinking look- pursed lips, vacant eyes, even breathing. Sapphire squeezes her eyes shut as tightly as she can. i hear her whisper," Please, please, please."

the thugs release her and disappear. at first i think she's ok with being alone when i hear a panicked voice yell," Where's sapphire?"

Aunt kor'i and Uncle Dick come back, running and almost tripping over each other. sapphire jumps up, squealing as her father swings her over his head.

"There you are," He exclaims," What are you doing so far away from us? Trying to escape?"

"i thought you forgot me." She says. her mother kisses her cheek.

"How could we ever forget you bumgorf?" SHe says," You're our baby."

Sapphire smiles, hugging her parents. it's actually cooler and smarter than you may realize. the edge of the scene starts to recced. Sapphire whispers," I love you."

Uncle dick tickles her neck, like i've seen him do to sophie hundreds of times," We love you too, Sweetheart."

BOOOOOOOM! I'm back in the room with the bubbles and mexican wrestling (sorry that was the way my brain processed that.) Only, by my count, there are seven bubbles. Sapphire's is gone. that gives me an idea. Remember the spells i mentioned earlier? The one's anyone can do? Well the only three i can remember are as followed:

1. sleep tight (I made this name up)

2. Holy crap! Dragon! (illusion)

3. I wanna see you be brave (stole that from a song)

"contra timendum est difficillimum, quin omnia novo plus animorum custodiet," I chant in latin. basically, in my mind, i said,"bitches, be brave."

It works too. i creep down a hall with lila in front of me. we're six and it's mother's day. we have a tray of our mother's favorite herbal tea and cinnamon toast. a card we spent two days making sits next to the food. the door open a crack as lila peaks in. our parents are still asleep (thankfully dressed) we open the door more. tiptoeing, we try hard not to giggle. Dad wakes up, smiling as he murmurs to mom," Ray, i think the munchkins are trying to ambush us."

"I know gar. i heard them from down the hall." She murmurs back. opening her eyes, we hold up the tray.

"Happy Mother's day, mommy!" we chant. she smiles and she and dad sit up. after mom takes that tray, lila and i climb up onto the bed. she looks at the tea a little skeptical.

"how did you two boil the water," dad asks.

"Mar'i used a starbolt," Lila answers," No cream, one sugar, a teaspoon of honey. just like you like it, Mommy."

"Thank you, Delilah," Mom kisses my sister's head," i like the card."

it was white construction paper with a couple of magic symbols that lila and i look up. Love, hope, happiness. there's a poem that we fought for days over. it was one of those 'roses are red' poems.

roses are red

daddy is green

like a tree!

we'll love you til we're dead

you know who we mean

lukey, daddy and me!

again we were six. mom and dad laugh at a few of the lines. we drew pictures of mom beating up bad guys and giving us hugs.

"Oh, thank you, sweethearts," Mom gives us each a hug and kiss. we sit on the bed, listening as dad tells us stories of missions they went on before we were born. our eyes widen with wonder, we gasp when dad builds up a point, and giggle when mom smacks him for scaring us. he brings up our aunt, m'gann, and fondly recalls how she gave him a blood transfusion when, here we're never sure because he always changes between he got sick or was trampled by wildebeests.

"Daddy, where's auntie m'gann's mommy?" Lila asks.

"On mars, sweetie. you know that."

"I thought she was your sister, and brothers and sisters share mommies and/or daddies."

"She's kinda my adopted sister. like mar'i isn't your sister, is she?" we shake our heads," but i know you love her just like if she was."

we nod. silence. i can't help but ask," Daddy, why don't you ever call your mommy?"

mom and dad exchange a concerned, almost fearful look. he pulls me and lila into his lap. speaking softly, he asks," you two knows what happens when you die, right?"

"if you're good, like you and mommy and uncle dick and uncle vic and auntie kor'i, you go to heaven," Lila answers.

"If you're bad, like the bad guys, you go to purgatory," Only six years old and already know about purgatory. i could be a winchester. (KIDDING!)

"My mommy's in heaven. there was an accident when-" his voice breaks," when i was just a few years older than you."

He gets this sad, wistful look. Lila and i move closer to him, wanting our daddy to be happy again. he gives us a small smile," I wish she could have met you and your mother."

"How nice to nice to be remembered. Mom reaches over to ruffle my sister's long hair.

"Where's your mommy, mommy?" Lila asks. Mom doesn't get a sad look. she gets this dark, pissed off sort of look. (lila and i inherited that.)

"I don't know," He voice is dark," I haven't seen or spoken to her in almost 14 years."

our eyes widen. not talking to mom for 14 years was the worst punishment for anyone that age. i crawl over to my mom, wrapping my tiny, slightly chubby arms around her," Don't be angry, mommy. And don't leave us."

she actually smiles at this. hugging me back, she runs a hand through my messy purple hair (this is a few weeks before i got a mohawk)," i'm not going anywhere."

"Kids," Dad has his 'pearls-of-wisdom' voice," no matter what happened or how far we are from each other, we will always be a family."

"Always? even when Lukey is a poophead?"

"Hey!"

"even then," Dad laughs," We are a family, and family means-"

"We have no choice but to love each other," Lila, Mom, and i say. i remember feeling safe. knowing that my parents were happy and alive and with us. i honestly think i miss them more at times like this (when i remember) than on holidays or their birthdays. dad starts to tickle us. We laugh so hard we cry. happy, safe, loved, full of love, hopeful for our future.

"Luke," my memory fades, leaving me with one final image of my parents. i blink. A little girl with long red hair stares at me. For thirty seconds, i think i saw my sister.

"Saph," My voice is dry and cracked.

"thank god," she slumps against a wall. her hair has come undone from the braids. her clothes are ripped and stained with dust and rust," it took you long enough."

"What?" I look around. the boiler room. there are indents in several machines that i know parker will be pissed about. i look at her. she cradles her wrist and her left ankle is swollen twice it's normal size," Sapphire!'

"Shut up," She snaps," Can just you take me to get some help?"

I gently lift her up, careful not to move her ankle or wrist too much. our boiler room is not in the basement, as i know many are. parker moved it to two floors below the living room. much easier walk. I hear shouting and sobs. Sapphire wears a 'talk-and-i-rip-your-eyes-out" face via my aunt kor'i. I hear moans and smell blood. God, let everyone be ok. i take her to the living room which is the rendezvous spot in case something goes wrong. Saph's not the only one who needs medical attention. Jania is stitching up one of several deep cuts on Lila's back. Collin has an ice pack on his nose, and is halfway to being a mummy. Sophie winces as Matt rubs alcohol on her cut hands. em and Richie are crying. Parker throws up in the sink.

"Sapphire!" Em shouts. Everyone snaps their heads to see us. many emotions pass on their faces-joy, despair, worry, enthusiasm, fear. Parker keeps dry heaving. no one has the heart to help him or go near him. I wonder if he's trying to expel the non existent water from his lungs. Sapphire scowls. i set her down next to lila. Jania finishes stitching the cut, then examines the ankle. no one points out the sheer anger on the girl's face.

"Twisted, not broken," Jania announces. the wrist is diagnosed with a serious sprain. no gymnastics for a while. jania turns to me, before quickly picking up tweezers and removing rubble from one of lila's open wounds. My heart sinks.

"Guys," i look at them," I am so sorry."

"Stop apologizing, Asshole," We all turn in complete and utter shock to Sapphire. Her scowl is darker that i thought possible. We all see it, we all know it. that sweet little girl is dead," it wasn't your fault, but we all suffered. i thought you all we use to this crap."

What the hell happened between lila's room and the boiler room?! she winces as she moves her ankle," Everyone gets hurt and everyone gets scared, but none of get a dang diamond on our foreheads because of it."

"What?!" Lila and i both yell. i remember running to the computers. there, smack dab between my eyebrows, is a blood red diamond. no. Lila and i exchange a completely panicked look. Years ago, we were told the one who would turn to the dark side would get this. I'm going to become DL again. My anxiety kicks in. My heart pounds, i start sweating. i keep seeing blood on my team, hearing them scream, feeling parker's lungs fill with water, and jania's arrow pierce my heart. i'm ashamed to admit it, but i faint.

This is the last time i'm going to write. i don't trust myself anymore. But stay tuned, because what happens next (insert chuckle) you'll never believe.


	6. Chapter 6: Parker

_**Author's note: ok, so this is going to be one of the few notes i make. Please check my profile for updates on the stories. assume that The Faults in Our Lives will be updated on Sundays. Thanks and ENJOY!**_

Do you remember being a kid? when there were no responsiblities and the only pain you had came from scrapped knees and loose teeth? do you remeber when the only thing you had to be afraid of was the monsters you saw in the dark? i don't have these kinds of memories. driving through the city, on the last leg of patrol, i can't stop thinking about them. my parents, John and Ada Mitchellson, were tyrants to say the least, Mother was from South Korea, but her dad escaped from North Korea. Almost all my aunts and uncles had been 'endowed', as father put it. Mother and Father hated powers. They wanted nice normal lives with nice, normal, obediant children. it was one hell of a slap in the face when i developed my powers. i hope you remeber what Luke told you last time, becasue everytime i think of my father, i can feel water fill my lungs. Thing is, i wasn't alone. i had three little sisters. Katerine and Rose, who were 8 and 10 last time i saw them, and Minerva. I never played the "i don't have a favorite" game. Minerva, Mimi as i called her, was my favorite. she was almost four and had the same thin black hair and electric blue almond eyes. she has a liver disease. the doctors told my mother and father she would be dead before she was two years old. Mimi died when she was three years, eleven months, and thirty days old. my kind, loving, understanding parents kicked me out four days later.

"Parker," Jania's voice crackles through the radio," Calling Parker."

"huh, oh," I rub my eyes," Hey, sorry, Jania."

"Got a hot date?"

"No...why?"

"i've been following you for six blocks. you've been going forty five in a thirty zone."

"Sorry."

"Dude, it's ok," I hear her sigh," i know how you feel about this street."

this is where i grew uo. on this street. I watched kids playing in the street and parents looking at their children as if they were the most beautiful creatures on earth. this is where i was trapped. i look down an alley way, noticing a small figure near a large dumpster," Jaina, why don't you head on home? i got this."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," I swallow hard," It's been four hours since you last ate. i know you're starving."

"Ok… be safe." I stop the car, taking a long breath before getting out. moving slowly to the figure. it's a girl. i can tell from the choppy black hair. she's young, maybe 7 or 8. i approach her from behind. i smell soemthing sweet, like cinnimon rolls. the girl pulls a sandwich from the trash. i gasp loudly as it turns into a honey bun. the girl turns so fast her hair whips my face. she has dull blue eyes. her clothes look like they were stolen from a clothing drive. An pair of jeans that show several inches of ankle, a stained blouse that reached her knees. her feet are bare, which isn't a problem in mid july. she studies me in a way that feels oddly familiar.

"Do i know you?" She asks. her voice sounds weirdly sophisticated for someone so young.

i hold out a hand,"i'm Parker Stone. You've probably seen me on the news."

She stares at the hand like she's never seen the gesture in her life. i cough, having an excuse to wipe my mouth," Uh, what's your name, sweetie?"

"I don't know," she runs her hand through her greasy, matted locks," the nurses called me Four-o-six."

"Nurses?" i ask.

"At Oakhaven," that's the children;s psychiatric hospital just out side of the city," they called me Four-o-six."

"Ok, uh, Four-o-six," i qucikly pull out my phone, senfin a message to my friends [**GET UP! BE HOME IN 10! MEET IN INFIRMARY! 911!**]," Can you come with me? we're just going to get you some clothes and food. i want you to talk to a friend of mine. is that ok with you?"

she walks obediantly to the car. i drive like a madman. Oakhaven, despite the happy bullshit name, is hell. i know. my parents sent me there for a year. the rooms were like freezers, two kids actually lost toes to frostbite. the medication was crushed into the food. For 'special cases', like me, they would do elctroshock threapy. I did meantion i was seven, right? I'll admit this, my powers kept breaking the machine. After a while, they had this preist come and he would try to convince me that powers were an act against God. i never broke. i can't help but wonder what the hell they did to this little girl or what landed her in that shithole.

After i park in the garage, i corral her to the elevator. My friends, god bless them, are in the infirmiry. they were prepared for everything from stitches to minor surgery. imgine their surprise when i bring in the little girl. i meet their eyes and mouth _Oakhaven_. I visibly see them swell with rage. after i told them what it was like, they were hellbent on making sure it closed down.

Four-o-six sits on a hospital bed while lila and jania examine her. i talk to Sophie, Matt, and Luke in the other room. I quickly explain what i saw. Sophie taps her foot, not impaciently, but in a lost in thought kind of way.

'Sounds like an illusionist," She says. My heart claws it's way to my throat. Mimi had been an illusionist. i can't tell you how many tea parties we had with the mad hatter and march hare. jania comes in with two vials of blood. after placing them in the computer (to gain access to any files with the DNA), she turns to us.

"Lila's about to get started." she motions to the one way glass. Lila is in charge of psych evaluations, mostly because she can enter minds.

"Do you know where you are," Lila asks Four-o-six

"Titans tower."

"What city do you live in?"

"Jump City."

"Do you know who you are or what your name is?"

"No"

"Do you have any ablities that we should be aware of?"

"I can make things," The girl hold up her hand. a flower blossoms from the grimy palm. It's a pink peoni," It's an allus-illu-"

"illusion?" Lila suggests.

"Yeah, that."

"Ok, sweetheart. do you know what hypnosis is?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to do a more advance form of this on you. Are you ok with that?"

"As long as you don't tru to shock me with those metal discs, i don't care."

Lila turns to the window, her eyes wide with horrer. Everyone looks at me. i can feel the painful sting as electricity passes through the wet discs into my brain. i screamed, despite the rubber mouth piece.

"Ok. if you feel uncomfortable at all, tell me and we'll stop," Lila places her hands on the girl's temples," Tell me what you see."

the girl closes her eyes. (ok, you might be wondering why we give a damn about this stranger. Basically superpowered beings always came to us for psych evaluation, then, if they were really dangerous, we would hand them to the city, who swore not to send them to Oakhaven.)

"I see a hospital room. there's a man and a woman talking to another man. the second man has a white lab coat on. two girls are reading near by. i see a boy."

"Can you describe him?"

"Sad looking. he has black hair, which looks really thin. he's reading a computer manuel."

"Where are you?"

"in the bed. my tummy hurts. The doctor notices i'm awake and shuts the dooy. the boy looks up. he's happy to see me."

"how old is he?"

"Thirteen."

"Do you know who he is?"

"My big brother," the girl smiles dreamily," Hi, Paka."

i can feel everything inside of me collapse. Paka. Paka. Paka. my heart beats to that word. Mimi called me that. Lila continues.

"Is Paka saying anything to you?"

"'good morning, princess Peoni! did you sleep well?'"

"Parker!" i push matt away from the door, throwing it open," you can't-"

"Minerva?" I ask. the girl's eyes open. she smiles, recognizing me," Mimi?"

"Paka!" she squels," Paka, it's you!"

"Mimi!" i fall to my knees. she flies to my arems. i start crying.

"Don't be sad, Paka!" mimi exclains. Lila and my team look at me like i've gone insane. maybe i have, but i chose to ignore them. i smooth my baby sister's hair.

"I'm not sad," i say between sobs," i'm happy."

"Why?" I hug her as tightly as i dare, showing her hair with tears and kisses.

"Because i have my princess peoni back," I whisper into her hair," i have my mimi back."

I hold her for as long as possible, making up for all the hugs i've missed out on. she looks at my friends, taking an extra long one at Lila. i introduce my friends to Mimi, smiling wider than i have in god knows how long. they love her instantly. It's damn near impossible not to.

"Paka?" Mimi says," Why didn't you come from me?"

i pick her up, even though she's too old for that," Mimi, mother and father told me you were dead. i just didn't know."

"Ok," she rests her head on my shoulder. Goddamn it, i _hate_ my parents!

"hey, Mima," Lila says, smiling almost as wide as i am," why don't we get you cleaned up?"

"Can you go with Lil, mi?" i ask," i have to find something for you."

she nods, matted hair falling into her eyes. i kiss her cheek, promising i'll seee her soon. Back in the gargae, after doing a stupid ass dance of pure happiness, i open a box with a shit load of old inventions from four years ago. i toss a remodeled can opener over my shoulder along with a pocket freeze ray. i stop examining an eletric compass that pointed you to whoever put their DNA into the wiring. A failed attempt at a light saber is dismantled with a frantic flick of the wrist. i wince at the sharp pain in my chest. Techopathcy might seem cool, but trust me, there are times it is a pain in the ass. i find what i'm looking for. it's a hand held camcorder. nothing special. Something you

would find in any electronics shop. but when Mimi held it, it would inhance and stregthen her illusions. It was going to be a birthday gift. Better late than never, Right?

"parker," Lila says in a sing song voice," Look who's here to see you."

I turn, a smile spreading acroos my face. Mimi looks beautifuk. Her hair sits on her shoulders, silky smooth after a good scrub. she had on old jeans that actually fit and a t-shirt that probably came from Lila. the fabric is a light blue, not electric, but her eyes pop. i laugh when she plows into me. hugging my midsection tightly. i kneel holding out the present for her. I explain it very breifly to her. She picks it up, balancing it on the palm of her hand. The machine whirls to life, a garden springing to life around us. The smell of lilies, roses, daisies, and peonis is over powering. a towering oak, with a tire swing, rises to the ceiling. Lila tries to touch the tree, eyes large with amazement. her hand passes through the apperition. Mimi giggles," It's still fake silly."

Since it's, like, six thirty, mimi sleepily asks if she can take a nap. i take her to my bedroom. i moved into changling's old bedroom when i moved in. He hadn't lived in there since before he married Raven. I tuck Mimi into the bottom bunk, remembering her small fear of heights. She grabs my hand as i begin to move away.

"Paka, you-you'll be here when i wake up, right?"

"'course," i stand up, reaching into the top bunk. I grab a small cloth rabbit. Mimi gasps at the sight of Hare. i tuck her old toy in with her," I'm not tired, but i'll be right over here. promise."

She holds up her pinky. i wrap mine around it. Mimi yawns, closing her eyes and cuddling closer to the bunny. i tiptoe to my desk. slightly bouncing, i reach for a pill box. i stare down at the white tablets, then decide i'll take them when my sister isn't in the room. I smile. Sister. it's been a long time since i had anyone to call my sister. I try to remember the last time my family had been together. No, i mentally slap myself. bad parker. they weren't your family. family doesn't abandon you. Family doesn't make you feel like shit. Family doesn't try to drown you. My dad, Victor stone, he's family. my friends are my family. the little girl sleeping peacefully behind me, she's my family. from a false bottom in my desk drawer, i pull out my adoption papers. i read through notes from CPS, claiming that i would be in a safe enviornment (snort). i read through interviews of Dad and me, as well as Garfield, Raven, Kor'i, and Dick. i smile at the picture at the end. Dad and i were working on the T-car, grease smeared across my face and oil in Dad's mechanical arm. I smirk at the camera (i think luke was taking the pic.) Dad showed me how to fix a carborator without my powers.

And….. now i'm sad.

i reach for my pills. i pop the pill, swallowing without water. unfortunatly a good number of heroes are drugged half the time for depression. i hear a knock on my door. Matt comes in, carring two bowls. one looks like a large mixing bowl.

"Breakfast," he hands me the smaller bowl. Generic brand cinnimon toast crunch floats in the milk. my stomach churns. i take a small bite. Matt stirs the mixture in his bowl and takes a large bite," Weird having her back?"

I look at my sister. She sleeps like the dead. i smile a little," not weird so much as different."

"She looks like a sweet kid."

'She is. i always told her that we were humans that were captured by robots," matt chuckles.

"how old is she?"

"Almost eight."

"God, i remember that age. jania had been insufferable."

"I've been through it twice with Kathrine and Rose. But imagine less emotions."

Matt places a hand on my shoulder," i amd so sorry you had to experience that."

he and i laugh at that. i like talking to matt. Lukeand i joke a lot and he is with out a doubt my ultimate best bud, but Matt understands a bit of what i've gone through. not to sound pretensous or arrogant, but beign the oldest sucks. You have to be perfect. you set the standards for the younger kids. you set the bar. you protect them even when you would love to claw their eyes out. i got in a bunch of fights with bastards in my middle school who said my sisters were freaks. they were right, but i didn't have a choice them. older siblings never do. we would do anything, even move heaven and earth, to see them smile. but we would also deny murdering them if it came down to it.

"Sp, what are you going to do?" Matt asks

"About what?"

"Are you going to tell your-er, Mr. and Mrs. mitchellson about finding Mimi?"

"When i drag their goddamn asses to court- hells yeah. they tortured her and-" I stop. i had never told my team about the 'cleansing bathes' as Father once called them. Luke knows, i know he does, but i made it painfully clear that i didn't want to talk about it," they told me she was dead. i mourned her for months."

"I know, man. it's screwd up that you ended up with the most narrowminded parents ever. but it could be worse."

"How?"

"you could have been born to westboro baptists.' we crack up at that. Clearly not everyone was ok with superheroes or even people with powers. Westboro Bapstist was one of the biggest pains in our asses. twice, they had groups come up to the tower and protest that we chose to be like tis and we would burn in hell for all lives we took. we had killed people- henchmen and clones- but none of took that lighlt. last time, poor Sapphire went outside while they were there. none of us knew where she was, which panicked us, until we heard she scream. the kids threw rocks at her, adn the older people threw pamphlets with headlines like "God is the only real hero", "Jesus is the only one with superpowers", and "you kill more than you save." She had just turned two and , while Richie and Emmy developed their powers, was defensless to the crowd. Jania had her bown drawn, shouting at everyone to leave the girl alone. a few women screamed that she was threatening them. Jania fired the arrow into the door, where it sank several inches into the wood. she told them that was a threat. The crowd realized we were all there. no one made a sound because the rage on our face was frigging clear as crystal. in a calm voice, i told them to get their sorry asses the hell off our island. Jania pickec up Sapphy, who had several cuts on her face. we locked the door, and multiple horrible swears fell from our lips.

"Yeah. i swear Sophie was going to murder them," i snort.

"i think Jania went to their main campus and challenged eveything the preist said," he smiles, them gives me a serious look," are you really gouing to take your exparents to court?"

"Not sure," I give him an evil smile," How soon can sophie hack into Oakhaven to look at Mimi's records."

"With a lifetime of hackignunder her belt," He smirks," less than two minutes. any longer and she would die from shame."

I feel the change in the air. my stomach stops churning.i'm in tune with every piece of technology in this building. i know who's where and when. i know which wire needs to be cut. hell, i could tell you the exact contents of our fridge. so you can be damn confident that i know when the alarms have been shut off.

"Parker!" Matt half yells. My half eaten bowl of ceral splatters on the ground. Mimi bolts up, her almond eyes wide with fear.

"Matt, get the team," I order, presiing my hand to the wall. i feel every wire in the tower answer to me. My friends all wear some kind of technology on them at all times. Lila's in bed, luke is in the living room, Jania and Sophie are making pancakes for the kids. Collin is offline so he must be showering. There is unknown technology, very small, but very advanced, in the garage," Sonofabitch is in the garage. I'll hold him off."

"Parker," I'm already moving toward the door.

"Paka," Mimi asks sleepily.

"Stay with matt, mi," I tell her with a hurried preoccupied wave," You'll be fine."

I run down the hall. The elevator doors open revealing the black cables. The elevator goes straight down to the garage, but it will take too long. I jump, grabbing the cables. Carefully, i slide down the cables. Besides only two kinds of people can override my secuity protocalls-my friends, who grumble everymonth when i change the code, and technopaths. Ok technopathcy is an incredibly rare skill. there are some versions of it, like being able to change the channel with your mind, but according to the League, i am the most powerful technopath since it's discover 75 years ago. Lovely amount of pressure, right? According to our records the only other technopaths are a grandfather and granddaughter in New york. So unless my friends are punking me, i think i'm to be fighting an unregister technopath. i stop at Garage level and open the door. Inside, poking through my inventions, is a girl. Her body stiffens as i enter. Her hair is dark brown and messy, skin olive toned. Her wide eyes are light brown, with a thin black line around the irises. she looks skinner than Mimi had been, her high cheek bones poking through her skin. she gives me a twisted smile.

"You're parker?" she asks with a southern draw," Well i knew you were powerful, but how the hell are you so damn pale?"

"How about you tell me who the hell you are and what the hell you are doing here, also how you know me would be nice," two robots with hooks for hands grab her arms. she glares at me.

"Call me Electra," i hold in a groan at the use of 'secret identiy' shit," Amd you're all anyone can talk about in the underground. the great Parker, who can build anything, is a damn kid."

"Bitch, i'm older than you," Something strange happens her irises flood the rest of her eyes. my machines fall to pieces, literally. i glare at her, half pisses, half terrified. I've never actually fought another technopath, but i snap," Never met another technopath."

"Not surprised," She snickers. I feel my own powers activate. A pit forms in my stomach," Ooooh, Paka's got claws."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!" i roar. My powers my my emothins run wild, often making me pissed and sad and happy and tired at the same time. kind of like the girls once a month (KIDDING!) i force my hand, palm down, towards her. electra ducks as a robot meant for cutting large sheets of metal fires a lazer at her. she flicks her wrist, causing the robot to fall apart. i stomp my foot. floor panels creak, then wires shoot up, thick as ropes. they wrap around Electra's ankles, Moving up her body. I hear the elevator whirl to life. NO!

"Oh, here come your friends." Electra swipes the air with her fist," and there they go."

I feel the elevator stop and drop into a free fall. I can hear my friends screaming.

"NO!" i shout, turning my back to the villain. i press my hands to the elecator door, pouring all my energy into the falling cage of death. the Elevator stops infront of me. Luke, Being the bedt bud and complete idiot her his, throws a knife at electra. the knife was a birthday present i made him ast year. i remembered that he loved percy jackson and made him a pen that expands into a knife. this tiny bit of technology that helps with the transformation is what screws us. with a sglance, electra sends the knife flying back at my friends. i lunge at her, ordering the doors to shut. the knife still enters, so i have to hope they got out of the way. Electra jumps away from my hands.

two mechanical birds, most likely the tech i sensed earlier, are by her side, one has a blue print in it's claws. Electra gives me a cruel smile.

"Love to stay and chat, but i got to get this back to HQ," Elctra grabs one of the birds. all three evaporate, most likely caused by a long distance transportation beam. i shout profanities and spin in an angry circle. i stop when i see my frineds. they are coved in blood. Jania looks like she's trying not to lose her bloody mind (pun,pun, pun).

"We have to go after her," I tell them, not asking about the blood. my mind's just a little preoccupied.

"Parker," Matt say gently.

"No, she stole my blue prints. i'm not sure which ones but there a re a few that are really-"

"Parker," Sophie interrupts.

"NO! i _have_ to get ehm back," i shout," She might use them to hurt Mimi."

"parker," Jania says gently. it finally hits me that lila isn't here.

"Where's lila," i ask, my heart beating at ten thousand miles. i push past my friends and look into the elevator. my heart stops completely.

Her body is curlled around the knife. It hit her heart, killing her instanly. her mouth is curled in a bright smile, like the last thing she had seen wasn't the blade now coated in her blood. she's given me that smile so many times. i fall to my knees, staring in shock and disbielf. Cradle in my best friend's arms, Mimi lies dead.

For the second time today, everything inside me collapses. only this time, i know it won't be fixed. i ignore my friends, and move to lila. she gives me a sad look. i take my sister from her arms, pulling her to my chest. I open my mouth, to beg mimi to wake up, to stop playing and wake up. What comes out is a gutted scream. i squeeze my eyes shut and scream. and scream. and scream.

"MIMI!" i scream at the top of my lungs over and over. my voice gives eventually. i open my eyes. Luke is hovering over Lila, his hand on her shoulder. Matt has Jania in a bear hug, tears spilling from his eyes into her hair. Sophie stands still, face deathly white. Lila's attention is still on me.

"Parker… she needs to go to the Medical examiner." She says very gently. I look at my sister. there's a legensd that the last thing the dead see is imprinted on their eyes. i see a boy with is harms held out protectively. i kiss my baby sister's forehead, whispering i'll always love her against her cooling skin. Lila helps me up. I feel like a puppet whose strings have been cut. Sophie finds a tarp from one of the shelves. i watch as they drape it over Mimi. They all leave, except Lila.

"Parker? you're covered in blood." there is a large spot of blood on my blue flannel shirt. i don't move. Lila moves with immpeccable grace. she fills a bucket with water from a sink i installe dlast year. she finds a rag and moves back to me. i make no move to take off the shirt. i just sit in my chair, stil stunned. Her thin fingers move down my chest, unbuttoning the shirt. she removes it from my shoulders placing it neatly on the table beside us. Dipping the rag in the water, Lila cleans the blood off my chest.

"She's dead," I whisper hoarsely.

"I'm so sorry, parker," she drops the rag into the pink water. i feel her wrap her arms around me. the hug is awkward, because she's standing and i don't hug her back. but some how i feel a little better. just a little. As she pulls away, i grab her hand. I look into her eyes, mine silently pleading.

"Can-Can you sing," I ask," Something that will make me cry. if i don't cry, Lila, I'm afraid i never will. Please?"

"Of course," She sits next to me, still holding my hand. Her skin is almost gray and icy cold. she studies my face for a second, trying to asses what song i need to hear. Lila closes her eyes, opening her mouth. most of the girls, meaning all except lila, can't sing. Sophie can't hold a tune, Sappy doesn't have the patience, Emmy prefers the flute, and i swear to god ears have bleed when Jania tries. Lila's voice is soft, warm, and reall. It feels like she wraps you into a cacoon and protects you from every bad thing with each note.

_If I die young, bury me in satin_

_Lay me down on a bed of roses_

_Sink me in the river at dawn_

_Send me away with the words of a love song_

_Uh oh, uh oh_

_Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my Brother_

_He'll know I'm safe with you when he stands under my colors, oh,_

_And life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no_

_Ain't even grey, but he buries her baby_

_The sharp knife of a short life, oh well_

_I've had just enough time_

I'm not burying her, i can't. i can't imagine her surrounded by satin, eyes shut, chest still even though i could swear it's still moving. i can't watch her being lowered into the ground, to slowly decay into dust.

_If I die young, bury me in satin_

_Lay me down on a bed of roses_

_Sink me in the river at dawn_

_Send me away with the words of a love song_

_The sharp knife of a short life, oh well_

_I've had just enough time_

_And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom_

_I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger,_

_I've never known the lovin' of a man_

_But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand,_

_There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever,_

_Who would have thought forever could be severed by..._

_...the sharp knife of a short life, oh well?_

_I've had just enough time_

I would hold her hand when the doctor spoke to us, or when they gave her new medication. My vision blurs. i held her hand only a few hours before she 'died' last time. Tears fall from my eyes. then i'm sobbing. I wail, burying my face in my hands. lila stops sings, unsure id i want her to continue.

"D-don't," I wheeze," Puh-please.

She continues singing, this time though she moves closer, letting me cry on her shoulder. When she finishes the song, the room is quiet except for my gasps for air. She murmurs," i'll be right back."

Lila sprints to the staris, once again with grace. i sob harder and harder until i can't breathe, i had my sister, the only person from my old family who gave half a rat's ass if i lived or died, back for one hour. she was asleep or gone for forty five minutes. i spent 15 m inutes with my mimi before she died. Longer than most get i know, but how do you expect her death to effect me? I remember the day she came home from the hospital. how tiny she was, how she screamed when my mother and father held her. i remember that they let me hold her. i was almost ten. she stopped crying when i picked her up. her chubby hand gripped my finger in a tight fist. her first word was Paka. she walked towards me with her first steps. i always thought it would be her and me against the world. i loved her. i still do. Mimi will always be my favorite sister.

Lila scurries in to the room, a t-shirt dangling from her grasp," here you needed a shirt."

I murmur my thanks. i pull the shirt over my thin black hair. her cat like eyes meet my tear filled ones.

"I'm sorry, parker," she higs me again. this time i hug her back. she makes small "sh" sounds as i cry, and rubs my back in small circular motions. death isn't something you can prepare for. no matter how ready for it you may think you are, no matter how long you've known they were going to die, the final blow is always a shock.

"i c-can't bury her," i say after a while, sitting up and wiping my eyes," not again."

"Ok," Lila says," what do you want to do?"

"Mimi loved stories about merlin and King Arthur. i think when some one important died they were," i swallow thrying to wet this dry pathch in the back of my throat," they would be placed in a boat surrounded by flowers. when they set sail, i guess, an archer would light an arrow on fire, shooting it into the boat."

"is this what you want to do?"

"i want her to be alive, but i guess."

"ok," Lila calls our friends and they buy an old raft froma captain per my request. i spend two days working nonstop. i scrap barnicles from the bottom and sides. i patch holes in the wood. i sand the edges, making the wood as smooth as silk. i don't use my powers, letting my sweat be a gift for Mimi. My music blasts in through out the garage- Everything from three days grace to owl city to imagine dragons. someone brings me food, which i ignore. i'm in the process of painting the whole thing pink when Jania brings me lunch.

"Parker, you're int he same spot as you were yesterday," she says worrily.

"Yeah," My back is turned to her.

"dude, you must be starving," she must have seen the pile of food i haven't touched," Parker, you have to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"That wasn't a request."

"i said i wasn't hungry."

"Parker, Mimi wouldn't be upset if you ate a sandwich."

i turn to her, completely betrayed. jania looks sad. Why should she? it's not like her world was destroyed for a second time. i take the damn sandwich so she'll leave.

"Boat looks good," she says in an attempt to break the tension.

"Yeah…"

"Look, i can't say i completely understand how you feel, but i can say that locking yourself away isn't going to help," she scratches her left wrist absentmindly," You're more likely to hurt yourself."

"Speaking from experiecne?" as soon as i say it, i fee horrible.

"it's no secret i was messed up befor joining the team," Jania says firmly," I made bad choices that i am willing to stand by."

"I'm sorry, Jani," i say, knowing that was below the belt.

"Don't be. you're just working through some horrible shit right now," she gesture to the boat," have you thought of naming it?"

"yeah," i motion to the stenciled letters on the back," _Princess Peoni_. Because Peonies are the queen of flowers and Mimi loved princess stories."

"Want some help?"

i start to say no, but remember what she said," Sure...why not."

We work in silence, filling in the letters and outlining them. Jania paints a peoni beside the name. After finishing the boat, we changed into our 'funeral' clothes. We always went to veterns funerals and sometimes a family whose child died would invite us. seeing a hero helped i guess. Suits for the guys, and plain black dresses for the girls. Mimi wears a beautiful white dress, Peonies and roses surrounging her body. i tuck Hare into the crook of her elbow, kissing her forehead for the last time. Luke, Collin, and Matt push the boat into the water. Jania waits until she is far enough, firing the burning arrow. as the boat catches fire, Lila slips her hand into mine. My friends did this last time, but no one else moves to join hands. We just stand there for a while in stoney silence. Slowly they move inside, but lila and i stay. Her hand is cold and soft. we stare at the ocean and a silver plaque i spent hours making. I won't let her die with 'Mitchellson' as her last name. not after what they did to her in Oakhaven. Dad would have loved her, and i'm confident he would have adopted her too.

Mimi Stone

Beloved sister, Friend, And Hero

Her birth year and death year are too damn close. i want them to be farther apart. Seven years isn;t long enough to live. Sixteen years isn't enough. a hundred years isn't enough. we don't die until we live, and how can we live if all we do is wait to die?


	7. Chapter 7: Parker

If you have even the most basic eighth grade science education, you should know who charles darwin is. you know, he's the dude who believe in evolution, that species are constantly adapting for survival. among the endless debates on powers, Darwin's theory of evolution is constantly being brought up. Some pro power people think that 'genetically enhanced individuals' are simply the next level of evolution. Anti Power people think that we are anomalies that have to be destroyed. we are a burden on that the normal population must carry. normies and powered will never be able to coexist safely.

"Bullshit," Jania's voice snaps me out of my thoughts," i grew up with you and never once did you call me feather."

"Yes i did," Matt argues," We were 11 and 12, doofus."

i can't help but smile. it;s only been a few days since Mimi's funeral. there's a meteor shower tonight, so we're camping under the stars. while we wait for the sun to set, My friends and i play our favorite game," one time when i was…" it's a simple game we split into guys vs girls. you have to tell a story mating whatever topic the other team chose. best story chooses for the next team.

"Ok," Luke taps his chin," Dumbest dare you went through with."

"One time when i was nine, Sophie and luke dared me to swim for one mile, in my underwear. it was november and our parents weren't home. i almost died of hypothermia for a buck seventy five and pride," Lila says with a laugh," Jani?"

Jania thinks for a second," One time when i was seven, these girls in my gymnastics class dared me to walk across the tightrope. i tripped halfway across and my leg got tangled in the rope. i was flailing around like an idiot for ten minutes before the teacher got the down."

we laugh at that image. Sophie's cheeks are bright red," no, it's really embarrassing."

"Oh hell no, grayson," Jania throws a marshmallow at her," you have to tell us. it's the rules."

"One time, when i was eight, these two shits," she gestures to the twins," dared me to switch uncle victor's eggs with tofu."

"How is that embarrassing?" Matt asks while Luke and Lila howl at the memory.

"he spit the eggs on me," we chuckle at the thought of a little sophie grayson covered in tofu.

"She wins," Lila wheezes.

"Fine. Boys, first kisses." (nothing is off limits.)

"Simple. Honey." Luke gets a little sad, remembering her. we try not to give him too hard of a time when her name came up. we're mean, but not heartless," half of you were there so i ain't going into detail."

"Fair enough," Sophie laughs," Matt?"

"Dude, tread lightly," jania snorts," this is dangerous territory."

"Shut up, west," Matt rubs his neck nervously," one time when i was in fifth grade, we played spin the bottle at a stupid party. my first kiss was a girl named rachel moore."

"Was she pretty?" Lila Pokes his side.

"Shut it logan," still loving," she was in the 'girls _might_ not have cooties' kinda way."

"See i have some competition," Sophie over dramatically pouts. we laugh.

"never," matt answers with the same over-dramaticness.

"Don't know how i can trust you."

"How 'bout this," He kisses her. the rest of us groan and throw food at them. they separate, laughing," Go parker."

"one time when i was in first grade, a couple of boys dared me to kiss the weirdest girl in class. she had blonde hair and always swung on the swing by herself at recess," i notice jania frowning," They said they'd give me twenty dollars. so at recess, i went up to her and asked for a kiss. i told her about the dare. she smirked and said she would if she got to punch me afterward. i thought she meant like a punch on the arm or something. i said ok. we scrunched up our lips and had an awkward two second kiss. then she punched me really effing hard in the mouth. she had a killer right hook."

everyone except Jania laughs. Jania asks," were you in mrs. nelson's class by chance?"

"Yeah. why?"

her lips twist into an evil smirk," Found your mystery kiss and punch girl."

"Oh, HELL NO!" i shout. Everyone else dies. Tears stream down their faces as i lunge to the water.

"I would give you an encore, but i have a boyfriend now," jania laughs. she and Colin had just started going out. i move to dunk my head, very quickly. i know my powers will short circuit, but hey what do i have to lose.

My hair barely touches the water before i am blasted backwards. laughs turn into screams. i slam into the rocks along the shore, groaning.

"Parker!" Lila shouts. she races to my side, placing a hand on my wrist- to check my pulse or hold my hand is unclear. she flies away, a bolt of electricity hitting her chest. Sophie and Luke immediately run to her. matt and jania to me.

"Don't!" Jania shouts at her brother," don't touch him."

"Jania!" Sophie shouts," Lila isn't breathing."

"Damn it," Matt swears," Can't we have one night to be normal."

even though he didn't mean it as a swipe at me, that's how everyone takes it. Matt has Asperger's syndrome, a very mild case, but still. you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the guy- unless you noticed he loved astronomy and had dozens of books on stars. Or if you tried tapping a pencil that he would beg you, nearly in tears, to stop. or when he made comments like that. it was out of line, but the thing is, none of have the heart to tell the big guy that he can't say things like that. Asperger's sometimes makes it hard for people to fit in, but according to Jania, Matt had been a social butterfly. People loved that he could help him with their science homework. Girls loved that he was honest. sorry, whatever that blasted me and lila must have fried my brain.

"Parker," jania shines a light in my eye," Can you count backwards from 10?"

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1"

"He's fine. Sophie, Start CPR now!" From the corner of my eye, i watch as sophie begins compressions. She tilts lila's head up and gives her two rescue breaths. Do not let crappy chick flicks fool you, there is nothing romantic about rescue breaths. i sit up, rubbing the new bruise on my head.

"is she-does anyone else hear crackling?" I ask.

"Parker," Matt gasps," look at your hands."

i hold them out in front of me. thin blue lines of electricity moves between my narrow fingers. i watch the lines, mesmerized by the odd crackle and constant movement. Lila's coughing shatters my hypnotic state.

"Jesus christ," She coughs," Next time it turns out jania made out with someone we know, i vote she gets electrocuted."

"Lila!" I exclaim, half relieved, half worried.

"Parker, don't touch her!" jania yells. i freeze, my arms held out to hug my friend," We need to run tests. for the moment, **DO NOT TOUCH ANYONE!**"

I hold my arms like i'm under arrest. luke and Sophie help Lila stand up, supporting most of her body. Jania grabs our first aid kit. We don't have the cutise little first aid kit. We have the 'pverporective mother at the playground' first aid kit. band aids, gauze, syringes, scalpels, antiseptic, we could perform a minor field surgery at a moment's notice if needed. Jania pulls on two pairs of rubber gloves and fills a syringe with a milky liquid. i know that medicine. See whenever our powers act out and we have no idea what's causing it, we have to do tests. when sophie went through her transformation three years ago (think alien puberty), she lost control of all her powers. i am _still_ finding fried wires. anyway, jania and Matt spent months developing a paralysing agent that targeted the section of our brains connected to our powers. Of course, it disables our ability to move, think, or remain conscious for more at least eight hours. Jania comes towards me.

"Hell no!' i say," You'll get electrocuted and-"

she stabs my arm with the syringe, pressing down on the plunger. the paralyzer works instantly. i remember falling to the ground before everything going black…

"DAMN IT, Jania!" i shout, bolting up in my bed. wait, i'm in my bed. i haven't slept in my bed in almost a week. how the hell…

"Good morning, sunshine," Lila oks up from her video game," how's your head?"

"Ugh," i groan, placing a hand to my throbbing skull," i've had better concussions."

"Well, you're not dead, so it could be worse," Lila smiles. Like i didn't almost stop her heart a few hours before. her excitement is pretty obvious. i do notice her breathing is shallow.

"Something you want to tell me," a little worry creeps into my voice," like why you sound like darth vadar."

"You took my breath away," her cheeks turn bright green," not- oh, crap. No not in the flirty way. in the 'you kind of caused temporary damage to my lungs' way."

"sure," i wink at her. her cheeks darken," so what are you so excited about?"

"Lila," Sophie's excited voice calls,' he's here!"

"Come on!" Lila grabs my hand. i throw the covers to the side. walking unsteadily to the door, my vision blurs a bit. i've had a number of concussions before so i know this is normal. but you never get use to the room spinning and the feeling that someone is talking to you under water.

half way down the hall, i stop. my head is spinning and i can't see straight. lila bites her lip with excitement. i slide to the floor, placing my head between my knees. God, i hate this part of concussions.

"Parker," lila says," are you ok?"

"go on," i tell her," i'll be there in a sec."

"You sure?"

"Go."

she hurries to the end of the hall, looking back a large portion of the time. a handsome man with dark skin walks around the corner.

"Uncle Kaldur!" Lila exclaims, throwing her arms around him. what i've learned is my friends call most heroes auntie or uncle. Kaldur smiles at Lila.

"Hello, Lila. you've grown." his voice is formal, not use to surface world words.

"Uncle kaldur, you always say that," Lila is smiling so widely it hurts to look at her," why the sudden visit?"

'Lila?" Jania appears down the hall, eyes glued to a file. She has a white lab coat over red running shorts and a yellow tank top," Has parker woken up yet?"

"jania! Look who's here!"

"Uncle kaldur. i know, but parker has had seven concussions in the last two months and i would like to make sure he isn't suffering from brain damage," she doe look up at her uncle," it is awesome to see you though, uncle kal."

"Don't mind me,' i grumble," just sitting here, unable to see straight."

"That's what i have been sent here to investigate," kaldur says. Lila and jania frown.

"but i haven't sent the report to the league yet. How-" jania's eyes widen, with amusement or fear, it's hard to tell," Oh she's gonna kill him."

"no, Sophie's going to kill the league,' lila says numbly.

"Who am i killing and why?" Sophie turns the same corner where jania came from. from her messy hair and the oversized Nightwing t-shirt over sleep shorts, i can tell she's only been awake for an hour at most.

"the league hacked our computers and planted something," Jania tells her. From kaldur's expression, she's guessed right. Our master hacker scowls,

"I am going to murder them," Sophie says tartly.

"Before you do that, can you help me with parker. her needs to be in the infirmary."

"Wait," i protest,' what are you-"

Sophie strides over and picks me up bridal style. her arms don't shake, even though i am easily 50 pound heavier and fighting like hell.

"This is embarrassing! Put me down!"

"Take five steps without any support and i won't carry you," i fall on step two. the two minute journey is filled with my grumbling about lost manhood and jania's comment that i never had any. Sophie sets me on one of the beds. Lila is wheezing now. kaldur gives her a look of deep concern.

"Rough night," she explains as Jania hands her an oxygen mask.

"So what's the verdict, Nurse west." i ask.

"Well, as you know your electrodes have always been much higher and are mutated, which is what causes a good portion of your powers," she opens the file," but everything else has been normal. even after running the tests everything is exactly what it should be except for one thing."

"And that is.."

"That's your chromosomes. normal humans have 23 pairs. but in your case you had 26. those extra chromosomes are another factor in your powers. i did a test, and you now have 29."

"Wait, what?" sophie asks," you're saying that his chromosomes are what causes his powers/"

"it does for a lot of you. Matt and colin have 24, the twin have 26, you and the triplets have 30," Jania says matter-of-factly.

"And you?"

"24, like matt, but my 24th is deactivated," she holds up a hand," trust me you don't want to know what that means. you'll get a headache."

"So i gained three chromosomes," i say," so what?"

"well, we're not sure what that will end up causing power wise,' jania looks at kaldur,' i take it that's another reason the league sent you."

"yes." Kaldur admits," we were concerned and it was thought best that i come, as you all trust me.'

"what about virgil?"

"he is indisposed at the moment,' Kaldur holds a hand out to me. i can see the tattoos on his arms," what i suggest is first assessing the strength and source of his power and then begin his training. we believe his powers have adapted and mine are a close match."

"Training," i ask," right now i can't rewire a taster, let alone conjure elec-"

a bolt of electricity escapes my chest. sophie yelps, ducking as the bolt passes over her head. i look down at my t-shirt. the fabric is signed and charred where the electricity came from. i look at kaldur, my eyes wide with horror.

"we shall begin when you are ready," Kaldur says a few hours later. after nearly killing another friend, i agreed to kaldur's help. jania made me drink two gallons of water and recite the alphabet backwards three different times before she would release me. i was still dizzy but felt much better. we were outside, per my request. i don't feel like fixing anymore fried wires or causing electrical shortages.

"i'm ready," i say.

"Now my power comes from my magic," Kaldur explains. He had gone to some underwater hogwarts before becoming Aquaman's protege," power comes from emotion."

"so if i'm happy, the electricity will live," i ask.

"electricity is not alive. you create it with energy. in many cultures, emotions can cause different levels of energy. tell me what happened the first time."

"you mean last night?"

"yes."

i explain the game and what happened. he asks me how i felt before the incident with the water," well, doctor, i was shocked, not pun intended. i was happy, and still sad about my sister's death."

"we heard about that," he says softly,' i am sorry for your loss."

"It's ok."

"now before you hit the water, what were you thinking?"

"'Damn it, Jania' but mostly i was also thankful that she ended up being my friend, all of them really."

"Channel that feeling," i close my eyes and concentrate. nothing i start panicking, thinking i did something wrong. i fall backwards as a powerful bolt knocks me over. kaldur helps me up," i take it that was not from joy or thankfulness."

"i panicked," i admit.

"negative feelings, like panic, anger, fear, are stronger, but uncontrollable."

"Guess it doesn't help that i'm clinically depressed," i grumble," what do you think about? for a 'positive feeling'."

"of my time on the team. the many successful missions i shared with friends," he answers," and of my friends, tula and garth, from atlantis."

"i can't do that," i run my hands through my hair, frustrated,' i can't just think of someone and have happy memories. i always remember sometime when they betrayed me. i can't think and be happy."

"come with me." i follow him to the other side of the island. my friends laugh at a joke i don't hear. sapphire and Emerald scramble down the rocks. Richie is reading a harry potter book, absorbed in his own world. Sophie and Jania are knee deep in the water, splashing each other. Matt watches the girls and talks happily to Collin and Luke. Lila sits on a rock, her toes just reaching the water. she brushes hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. she started cutting it like her mom did recently. the locks are longer in the front and continue to shorten. showing the nape of her hair. my heart starts to race,"tell me what you see."

"my friends. people that love me despite the fact i feel like a worthless piece of shit." i can hear lila laugh. my palms warm.

"when you are with them or even see them," Kaldur says gently," What is the first thing that passes through your mind?"

"'please don't leave me alone.'" I've never told anyone that.

"And the feeling you get?"

"Hope. Love. Feeling loved and having people to love."

"Parker," I can hear the smile in his voice. My eyes haven't left lila," Look at your hands."

i look down. my palms are piercing blue, thin lines of electricity moves between my fingers. the electricity moves downward, forming a golfball sized sphere in my palm.

"now release it."

i squeeze my hand into a tight fist and open it again. the electricity flies into the air. sparks crackle, and the sky looks as is if it's been cut in half. i hold my concentration. i feel like my blood has been replaced with lightning. then i become aware of the water and panic.

"Parker!" kaldur shouts as i slam, once again, to the ground.

"Sorry," I sit up.

"don't be. that was very good for your first try. Excellent, in fact."

"i messed up."

"Did you expect to master this is a single try. Mistakes put you on the right track to your goal. you will always learn new tricks and will continue to make mistakes. Everyone does."

"Not me," Jania says with an evil smile. She and our friends had walked over. kaldur gives her a small smile," according to this lot, i'm perfect."

"i could tell you hundreds of stories in which you have messed up," Kaldur says simply," most of which you have forgotten. like the time you attempted to ask Aquaman what Atlantis was like in atlantean and ended up saying-"

"I was four!" she exclaims while the rest of us laugh.

"Pardon me," Kaldur's com had started buzzing. he walks some distance away. jania gives me a fast examination. Kaldur walks back over," Apologizes, i have been called away."

"What?!" i gasp," But- but i still- i can't do this alone."

"Parker, i was there when you all confronted the league after your parents' disappearance, and again when you were informed to being the most powerful technopath ever. many in those situations would have gone insane or hysterical, but you looked to your friends and remained calm. I find it unfair that so much pain has been inflicted on you, but there is little that can be done about that. how you react is in your control," he places a hand on my shoulder," As long as you have your friends, you can do anything. remember that."

"i will," i promise. Sapphire and Emerald cry as he hugs them good bye. he disappears under the water, leaving an empty feeling in the air.

"Parker," Jania says," you should go lie down."

i obey her orders. with luke and matt following me like overprotective parents, i climb the stairs to my bedroom. it takes me a while, but i finally close the door and lock them out. after pulling my shirt off, i climb into bed, convinced i'll never sleep.

"parker?' My eyes fly open. 8:45 pm. Lila stands over me, a sandwich in one hand and a lock pick in the other," here, you missed dinner."

"No left overs?" I ask, with a sleepy smile.

"With matt and Jania west around?" She snorts," never."

i take the sandwich from her, moving over so she can sit next to me.

"So how long have you called kaldur-"

"uncle kaldur?" she shrugs," All my life. Most of the league is an auntie or uncle. except batman."

"Right, Sophie calls him-"

"Bruce."

"Bruce?"

"some arguement years ago that luke and i never understood the causes of favorite heroes, batman is on the bottom of sophie's list."

"biologically speaking, who are you related to?"

"biologically, my aunt m'gann and uncle connor. conner only because of Ellen and kevin." she pulls the sleeve of her cotton nightgown down past her wrist," and m'gann only because of a blood transfusion she gave my dad years and years and years before i was born."

"no grandparents? i mean, i know about trigon."

she shrugs," my dad never talked about his father. His mom died in an accident when he was a kid. don't know about mom's mom."

"small family."

"it's never felt like that. when you add uncle Dick, auntie kor'i , uncle j'onn, auntie zatanna, aunt Dinah, uncle kent, uncle victor-"

"Does my dad being your uncle victor make us cousins?"

"no. you're technically a new addition to the family that i haven't placed just yet."

"when you figure it out,' i push her shoulder gently," tell me.'

"you'll be the first,' she takes a deep breath," i should probably lead to bed.'

"what shift do do you have?"

"Three am to six am,' she stands up, ready to move to the door,' jana told me to tell you no patrol for a week at the very least."

"what about training?"

"she'll monitor you."

"Lila?"

"yes, parker?"

"how-how are you doing?"

"with what?'

"the beast."

she sighs," some days it's easier to ignore it. others it feels like someone's lighting me on fire."

'Ouch."

"right."

"maybe you should let go. set it free."

"i can't do that," she's scared now," you saw what i did to luke."

"i tried not to look."

'i didn't know you couldn't stand blood."

"You were naked."

she blushes," well i hadn't mastered the art of clothes when it comes to changing.'

"it's fine," i say quickly, my cheeks burning," i didn't- er- how are you lungs?"

"Nice save,' she takes a deep breath,' Better. it hurts to take a breath, but jania says that's expected."

"sorry.'

"between you and luke, the sorry count is too damn high," she grins," it's fine. i never expected you to be the one that takes my breath away."

"No girl ever does," i don't remember saying that, but that must have been me. lila laughs. i get really flustered," that's not what i- i didn't mean it like- shit.'

"no, jania and luke would be proud of your timing and the sheer amount of smart assery that response took. if anyone was going to take my breath away, i'm glad it was you."

"in the non-flirty way, right?" she winks at me.

"Good night, parker,' she takes a step towards the door, then turns, kissing my cheek," try not to electrocute anyone."

i sit there for a while, my skin tingling where lila's lips touched it. Darin said that we adapt to surroundings. bt where you live and what's around there isn't the only aspect. family plays a part in what we believe and what's the difference between right and wrong. friends are there to push you and help you become the person you always wanted to be. they encourage you to try new things and build memories that we look on later that teaches us something- what happiness feels like and what not to do in situation. kaldur's right. we've been through a lot, made a shit ton of mistakes, but we've survived. we've thrived. we've all made mistakes, but we're all human, technically speaking. mistakes teach us shit, and you know, i think pretty soon i'll make a few more.


End file.
